Clients, for better or worse, are constantly evolving. They will change their priorities, their preferences and their expectations.
Because they develop new demands on your company, you need to adjust to continue providing the value-added service that won their loyalty in the first place. Businesses that fail to be flexible risk losing client capital and falling behind competitors.
Don’t get caught off-guard by change.
The only reason an organization is surprised by a shift in its clients’ preferences is because it is out of touch with the people it serves. If you work to have a strong relationship with every single client and maintain a two-way conversation, you will be more aware of events that force a change in their needs or prompt them to change their demands. To create that kind of dynamic, you need to build a system that automates the feedback and record-keeping process.
Train your employees on how to maintain logs of their interactions with clients.
This should include any notes on whether the client has experienced a life or work event that will impact the kinds of solutions, products or services they will need from your business. If the client mentions their upcoming 25th anniversay with their spouse, it should be noted so that you can send a special card or gift depending on the importance of the client.
Periodically survey the people or organizations you work with.
This has three major benefits:
- It conditions your clients to give feedback and shows that you are focused on their needs.
- It provides a standardized system for you to gather and analyze data on how your clients are evolving.
- It demonstrates that you are receptive to suggestions and criticism. It is important to take the feedback seriously and implement any good ideas that come forward.
Set aside time every quarter to review this data. Compile lists of what you can do right away to increase client satisfaction and what longer-term adjustments you will have to make to ensure continued satisfaction in the future. It may involve hiring additional employees with new areas of expertise or further developing an existing product.
Entrepreneurs and business builders may often be focused on establishing a strong infrastructure for their organizations and expanding their client bases. However, client relationship management serves as a backbone for all of your operations. Be sure that you support your organization’s development and ensure long-term connections with every client. To do so, proactively collect feedback and always be on the lookout for ways that your company can expand or improve its products or services to better suit client needs.
How do you assess your clients’ needs and adjust to new demands? Do you regularly review current product or service offerings in search of areas that can be improved?
