Security providers don’t just sell products, they create ongoing business relationships. Most security clients subscribe to a continuing service and want to find a company they can depend on for future assistance.
How can you communicate to potential customers that your business is trustworthy and provide them with the best possible service? There are a few key strategies for building an honest relationship with customers. Here’s a closer look:
Start at first impressions
You can’t leave your business practices open for interpretation; you have to operate using absolute truths. Every member of your team should work off a central source of information they can communicate to customers.
Marketing, sales, field agents and managers all have to tell potential customers the same thing. Bloomberg Business reported companies who gain customers through false claims shouldn’t expect to keep them, and they could create dissatisfied clients, spreading negative reviews through social media and other forms of public communication.
You have to stand behind every scrap of promotional material your company puts out. Every employee has to greet new customers with a smile and realistic promises.
Don’t appeal to customers with sales promotions you can’t deliver. Transparent business practices
The more information you can share, the better. A customer should never end an interaction feeling like something was left out.
You should have plenty of printed materials describing what kind of technology your company uses. Your website needs to feature white papers, blogs and other content detailing your business practices. Written customer testimonials are great ways to demonstrate business relationship success.
Financial matters are usually the greatest source of contention between clients and companies. Customers want to make sure they get the absolute best deal for their money. If you can provide them with a complete breakdown demonstrating where their finances go, you create informed, happy consumers.
Provide consistent service
Entrepreneur contributor Karen Mishra argued building trust isn’t just a matter of providing quality service. You have to offer optimum performance every time a client deals with your business. Security dealers need tools to create consistent operations.
For example, security billing software ensures monthly payments are a routine process, free from surprises. A customer can sign up for monthly service with agreed-upon terms and be certain they will not fall victim to changing rates. It also creates consistency on the customer’s side of the partnership. A regular bill is easier to factor into finances and eliminates many causes of late payments.
No such thing as too much communication
If there is a change in billing because of service outage or late fees, your company has to warn the customer about the adjustment before it happens.
Every member of your team should use the same alarm dealer software. When a change to any form of service is necessary, every employee has to be aware so they can update clients. After each consumer contact, customers should log the details in the system so the entire company has the customer’s history.
Demand Media suggested businesses encourage customers to communicate whenever they have a question. If you really want a trustworthy relationship with your clients, communication should be a two-way street, open and constant.
“A complete client data history creates a measurable relationship.”
Personal solutions
A complete client data history creates a measurable relationship. Team members can see when customers were satisfied or dissatisfied by certain options. It prevents you from making the same mistake twice and shows clients you have their best interest at heart.
Forbes said trust is built on personal service. Your employees have to be ready to go beyond rote answers and standard actions. A detailed history allows service agents to exceed expectations. They can even ask about the client’s families and hobbies to leave a positive impression.
Check to make sure you’re delivering on your promises
You can gauge how customers feel about your services by checking online sources. Small Business Trends reported 85 percent of small businesses get their business from word-of-mouth recommendations. You should see how people talk about you to their friends or connections on social media or review sites.
It might seem counterintuitive; building trust by checking on what your clients say behind your back. Online sources, however, are meant for public display. Also, your client may not want to come forward about problems they have. You might even have forgotten a promise you made in the early goings. Checking every available source for satisfaction ensures you do everything in your power to be a dependable business partner.