Rob Tolley London - The Importance of Investing in Customer Relationships

Today’s marketplace is a volatile one, and it can be a significant challenge for businesses to maintain their customer retention levels – not to mention increasing the number of new customers coming their way. Redefining and enriching relationships with clients is likely to be the key, with understanding, care and transparency being the watchwords.

1. ROB TOLLEY
LONDON
The Importance of Investing in
Customer Relationships

2. The Importance of Investing
in Customer Relationships
Today’smarketplaceisavolatileone,anditcanbeasignificantchallengefor
businessestomaintaintheircustomerretentionlevels–nottomentionincreasing
thenumberofnewcustomerscomingtheirway.Redefiningandenriching
relationshipswithclientsislikelytobethekey,withunderstanding,careand
transparencybeingthewatchwords.
BuildingaRelationship
It’simportantforbusinessestomoveawayfromapurely‘transactional’
relationshipwiththeircustomers;instead,arelationshipshouldbebuilt.To
developagreatcustomerrelationship,vendorsshouldaimtomakeitfeelasifthey
andtheirclientareonthesameteamandworkingtowardsthesamegoals.
Becomingseenasastrategicpartneristheaim.
© Rob Tolley

3. The Importance of Investing
in Customer Relationships
ScheduleFace-to-FaceMeetings
Whiletheglobalpandemicnecessitatedashifttoremoteworkandvirtual
meetings,it’simportantforbusinessestooncemoreembraceface-to-face
meetingswiththeirclientstonurtureexistingcustomerrelationships.Aswellas
tendingtobemoreengaging,in-personmeetingsofferamorenaturalforumin
whichtodiscussbusinessobjectivesandideas,andtheycanbeaneffectiveway
todeveloprapport.
CommunicateRegularly
SuccessfulentrepreneurslikeRobTolleyunderstandthatregularcommunication
withcustomersisvitalinorderforbusinessestobeseenbytheirclientsasmore
thanjustanothervendor.Phonecalls,emailnewslettersandregularcheck-insare
allwaysthatbusinessescanmaketheircustomersfeelvalued,aswellasbeingan
effectivemeansofkeepingthemintheloopregardingnewproducts,servicesand
promotions.
© Rob Tolley

4. The Importance of Investing
in Customer Relationships
EmbraceStrategicEngagement
Observingandanalysingcustomerbehaviourviaproductusagedatacanmean
businessesareabletorespondeffectively.Someclientsmaybereticentto
approachvendorswithquestions,andusingaproactiveapproachis
recommendedtobestbuildmeaningfulcustomerrelationships.Thisalsoallows
thebusinesstopromptlyaddressanyproblemsorissuesthesecustomersmaybe
experiencing.
RewardLoyalty
Rewardingloyaltyisacrucialwaytoacknowledgeandshowappreciationof
customers’continuedsupportandisameansofinvestinginongoingpositive
clientrelationships.Therearemanywaystorewardloyalty;earlyaccesstonew
products,exclusivediscountsandpersonalisedrewardsprogrammescanallbe
deployedtoassureclientsthatthey’revaluedbythebusiness.Thesecustomers
arenotonlymuchmorelikelytocontinuesupportingthebusinessbutmayalso
becomebrandadvocates,spreadingword-of-mouthrecommendations.
© Rob Tolley