Excellent client interaction is vital to the success of any business. Statistics don’t lie! Up to 86% of customers are willing to part with more money, depending on how great the customer experience is. 73% will base their purchasing decision on how you treat them. 65% say that customer interaction is more influential than advertising.
With such staggering statistics, it’s clear that how you interact with clients will have a huge impact on your bottom line. The way a customer perceives the treatment they get in your company will have a lasting impact on whatever memories or feelings they have will come directly from your interaction with them.
Let’s explore this subject in a little more detail below. We’ll also give you seven great tips on how to communicate effectively with clients.
Client Interaction Best Practices
Without proper client interaction, you’re not likely to succeed in the business world. You will have a disgruntled customer base, and staff members will also feel the impact. The realization of this fact would explain why many companies are now investing in departments that deal solely with customer experience.
Imagine you’re in search for the best car accident attorney. The one you get takes his time to explain everything to you in detail. He listens to you, gives great suggestions, and continues to update you constantly. Wouldn’t you want to retain such a friendly expert?
Some time-tested methods will help improve how you communicate with your customers. We will share this in a little more detail below.
1. Have Established Communication Guidelines
It doesn’t matter what the size of your business is, you need to have established guidelines on how to communicate with clients. Invest in training, so that every staff member knows what you require of them. Be clear about every aspect of interacting with a client, including how they greet them, to how they answer emails, among others.
You can’t leave it to the whim of every individual to handle conversations as they wish. While we’re not talking military grade training here, anyone who doesn’t toe-the-line must go.
2. Understand Your Clients Well
It’s vital that you have a very clear understanding of the client’s. Take into consideration the different cultures because it will impact how you interact with them. Some cultures do not allow for certain physical proximity, especially between men and women. In others, you cannot look someone directly in the eyes.
Take the example of Muslims where a man is not supposed to shake a woman’s hand. You could offend a lot of people by not understanding cultural differences.
3. KISS Principle
Interacting with clients means you stick to the KISS principle. What it means is that you keep things simple. No one likes wordy statements with very little meaning. Honestly, no customer has that kind of time to waste. It will be easier for the client to remember conversations that are concise and informative.
4. Outlook Matters
No one wants to deal with a grumpy service provider. Being positive is something that you will use in your personal as well as business life. You’ll be able to communicate well with everyone around you. You’ll also not draw any negativity from those you’re communicating with. Your customers will always remember how pleasant you’re when dealing with them.
5. Two Ears One Mouth
You may have heard people say that you’ve two ears and one mouth, so that you can listen twice as much as you should speak. Listening to your customers keenly is essential. Communicating with clients effectively means that they always have your full attention.
When a customer feels that you have no interest in what they’re saying, they’ll move on rapidly. The main take out here is that you should learn when to keep quiet. Imagine trying to deal with a business person who constantly interrupts you anytime you are trying to talk to them. Put yourself in their shoes, and you’ll understand what we’re talking about.
6. Keep the Client in the Loop
Imagine dealing with a service provider who never gives you an update on what is happening in your account. Let’s go back to the example of the lawyer; you’re the one who keeps on asking for information. They never seem to reach out to you, and any information they send is non-informative.
Would you consider staying? Obviously not. As a business person, you should make client communication a priority. It doesn’t matter whether you pick up the phone occasionally or send out emails. Just make sure you do it and keep the communication constant.
7. Accept Criticism
The natural reaction to criticism is usually the urge to push back. As a business person, when a customer complains, step back and try to look at a situation from their perspective. If you’re in the wrong, acknowledge the mistake, and assure the client that you’re doing all you can to fix it.
If the client is at fault, find a way to handle the situation with finesse. Remember you’re already dealing with an angry customer, and the wrong words from you can lead to irreparable damage. If you see that there is no resolution to an issue, you can politely let go of the customer without offending them.
We live in an internet age, and one negative review can bring down your business. Show the customer that you care about what they’re saying, and you’re working towards finding a solution to their problem. Having the right attitude towards criticism can help you improve upon how you interact with the clients.
Take it as feedback, and use it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
Ready to Improve Your Client Communication
We have shared with you seven great tips on how to improve your client interaction. Most of them are the things we do every day; you just need to take it up a notch. Incorporate excellent customer service in the business, train your staff members appropriately, and take corrective measures when you need to.
We have many resources that you can use in your business, so do not hesitate to get in touch with us in case of anything. Now go ahead, implement what we have shared above, and watch the positive customer reviews come in.
