7 Ways to Maintain Healthy Customer Relationships
7 Ways to Maintain Healthy Customer Relationships
These simple practices may set you up for repeat business.
As a business owner, retaining your customer base through healthy relationships should be at the forefront of your operations; it sets you up for repeat business and provides you with strong referrals for new business.
But building these relationships takes time, patience, strategy, and motivation. One example of a leader with a splendid track record of establishing and maintaining client relationships is Brandon Ezra, CEO and founder of Grand Welcome, a vacation rental management franchise.
Ezra’s business is built on relationships — from employees and vendors to landlords and clients. He recently shed valuable insight on how he establishes and maintains those relationships so they evolve into long-standing, impressive partnerships.
1. Acknowledge that time is valuable.
Whether you’re working with a new client or an existing one, remember to respect their time — it’s just as valuable as yours. Be efficient yet personal in your conversation, since no two clients or customers are the same. Take this time to set a standard for the relationship and get it off to a good start with active listening — understanding their needs, likes, and dislikes.
2. Make a human connection.
Additionally, going the extra mile to learn a little bit about a client’s personal life shows interest and adds a nice human connection. “You don’t want clients feeling like they are just a means of boosting your bottom line,” shares Ezra. “Make it known to them that they are valued and get to know them on a personal level.” For existing clients, Ezra emphasizes routinely touching base on expectations to ensure your services are still what they need. These “touch base” calls, he says, “can be incredibly insightful and be an aid for reoccurring business.”
