Customer Relationships
Recently, at a conference, we had the opportunity to hear an impressive speaker--Sheryl Sandberg, Vice President, Global Online Sales & Operations at Google. Sheryl has been a successful Executive and graduated at the top of her class from The Harvard Business School. In addressing the group of over 2,000, Sheryl summed up what she learned at business school very simply:
To succeed over time in business, it’s not about being first or about having great technology. The winners over time are the companies that build the best relationships with their customers.
Sheryl went on to provide examples. RCA built the first television. Now they own less than 5% of the TV market. Countless superior technologies have failed when introduced by companies who do not understand their customers or have strong enough relationships with them.
So what do we find that top sales and service people do to develop strong relationships with customers? Here are a few ideas:
- Conduct a survey. This can be done formally or informally through conversation. Position it with: We’d love some feedback from some of our best customers to help us serve you better. Then ask questions like: What do you want to see more of or less of from us? How would you describe our product/service to a friend or colleague? How do we help you succeed? Then implement their ideas, as appropriate.
- Thank them. You can thank clients in a variety of ways. Many top associates send small tokens like a gift card or an office plant. You can also say thank you and develop a relationship by sending a relevant book or article that you find. A thoughtful hand-written note still goes a long way too.
- Get face to face. Today many of us spend so much time communicating with customers by phone, email, and even text messaging. Most top sales and service people find that they are most successful with their best relationships when they can get face to face. Making the effort to visit your clients shows an extra commitment on your part. You can typically form a stronger connection and pick up on key signals when you can read body language. Who on your customer list or prospect list have you not visited face-to-face recently?
Think about your key customer relationships and what you can do to develop them.
Have a magnificent month and set yourself up for future success by furthering your relationships with your best customers!