There’s nothing worse than having awkward and difficult clients or customers. But have you ever considered that the problem may lie on your side of the relationship? Many business owners around the world are blissfully unaware that the problems that they face with some customers is simply down to the way that they are treating them. It’s important to establish good working relationships with all customers, otherwise you could risk them not coming back and also the wrong kind of word of mouth being spread about your company. Want to make sure that you’re a liked business that people want to return to? Here’s how to make yourself into a likeable business.
Use the H.O.T service with every client
The H.O.T service is something that many successful companies use because it’s a tried and tested way of keeping your customers sweet. H.O.T stands for “Hello, Offer and Thank”. While some customers won’t be interested in small chit chat, you can usually scope this out within the first few seconds of meeting someone. However, being polite will do nothing but good for your business, and some people will be more than willing to chat with you as you serve them. For some, it may even be the only conversation they’ve had that day and it can make an incredible difference giving them that time to chat. Sticking by this rule also means that no matter what, you’re giving your customers polite and courteous service at all times. Be sure to train any members of staff into carrying out this practise too so that your business increases it’s likeability.
Give people your time
One of the worst things when dealing with a business is the person in command not having the time to interact with their customers and deal with any issues or queries that may pop up. It’s understandable though that you can’t always be around as you have other tasks to complete and a deadline to stick to as well. However, there is now workforce management software that will allow you to free up some of your time and interact with your customers. It’s also a useful tool for your customers to use to view information that they need.
Listen to your customers
A big mistake that many business owners make is by not listening to what their customers want. It’s hard to believe that someone being told how they can improve on their business to keep their customer happy won’t listen, so you should make sure that you’re doing just that. While your customers have no business trying to control how you run things, it might be an idea to listen to what they are saying because you could end up losing them altogether. Things like how a product that you sell is made and how it could be improved are both perfect reasons to listen to your customers.
Give customers something for nothing
Everyone loves something for free, so why not give yourself some likeability by giving your customer something for nothing. It doesn’t have to be anything that will necessarily put you out of pocket within your business either. It could be a recipe that people have been asking for, or even create a loyalty system where if they collect a certain amount of stamps they get a discount off their favourite product. Not only will it increase your likeability, but it will encourage people to visit your business more often.
Use social media to gain likeability
Finally, one of the easiest ways to control your reputation is by using social media. As you probably know, social media can make or break a business in a matter of hours, so make sure that you’re being wise with the things that you’re posting on your social media accounts. Running competitions and posting relevant images and videos will spark interest and make you seem like a friendly and welcoming company, and can do serious wonders for your business.
Use these tips and tricks so that you can turn your business into a likeable one, and encourage your customers to not only return, but to recommend you to friends and family too! Remember that a good working relationship is imperative to every business, so make the changes today!
