How to Build Business Relationships Through Communication

There are few things worse than being treated unfairly by someone who owes you something. It makes us question whether or not we matter to them. The same goes for our customers. They’d rather deal with us than their competition. Building relationships with our current clients goes beyond simply providing service and support. The following are the ways to build relationships through communication.

Overcommunicate

When a client signs up for business phone services, they have a certain expectation regarding the quality of the phone system they get. You can do everything in your power to make sure they get what they want, but if you don’t keep those commitments then ultimately you lose that relationship. If a client wants a call centre from 8:30-5 Monday through Friday, then when does he/she expect the call centre to close? When should employees be at work? How many hours per week will be required? If you haven’t set these expectations verbally, put them into writing in your contract.

Keep in Touch

You already know how important communication is to maintain a good reputation. By providing great customer service and keeping clients informed on how your company is doing, you increase your chances of retaining them as customers. Even though you may feel like just putting out some press releases online announcing a new product or a milestone has taken care of this issue, it doesn’t. When people read about major events in your industry or hear about them through other channels, they remember that. Don’t leave your customers hanging! Send a nice email letting them know what’s going on.

Personal Touch

We don’t mean asking for a personal favour here (although your clients may appreciate that). Asking for referrals isn’t quite what we mean either. Instead, we’re talking about making yourself available on issues that concern the clients. This could include answering questions they ask themselves, sending them info on products or services they might want to acquire, or just plain old helping out in any way possible. These actions show that you are invested in their success and will continue to benefit from it over time.

Be Honest About What Others Are Saying

Your potential clients are going to form opinions based solely upon what they hear, see or experience first-hand. While it’s important to present your best face to the public, it’s equally important to stay honest about what others have said about you. Maybe you’ve heard about a competitor that seems to be doing well. Or maybe you’ve seen a negative review online. Is there a reason why you aren’t seeing similar positive reviews? That needs to be explained.

Conclusion

Ultimately, most companies struggle to develop a solid reputation. Some things can be fixed immediately while others take longer. All companies can start working on growing their reputation sooner rather than later by following the tips mentioned above.