 |
|
|
|
|
Five Tactics for Maintaining Customer Trust In an era of open and customer-directed marketing – where blogs, online reviews and other forums allow customers to speak candidly about your products and services – maintaining customer trust is crucial. It becomes the foundation on which you can create the kind of continuing, consultative relationship that can lead to long-term profits. It is important to remember, however, that trust is an intangible – it is not easily measured, nor is it always clear how to earn it. These guidelines can help. Manage hype It goes without saying that a vendor-customer relationship based on trust begins with honest, informative communications. Straightforward and clear communications play a significant role in building trust and credibility. Reducing the amount of hype – baseless claims that are not clearly benefit-oriented – sets the tone for your ongoing customer relationship. It is often a matter of creating clear expectations on what you and your products can and cannot do to help your customers succeed. Instead, look for ways to provide your customer with content that informs – such as product reviews, testimonials and the like. Watch out for over-communication Don't abuse the relationship you've established with your customers by communicating with them too frequently. In the era of email, communicating with customers can be so easy and inexpensive that it is tempting to think that there's no downside to sending out another message, offer or announcement. Consider what the cost is for your customer – in terms of the time it takes them to engage with the message and how they experience it. If they're beginning to think "not another email," then you're certainly risking eroding their trust. So instead of keeping your business "top of mind," you're putting it out of mind. Instead, look to communicate when your customer has a need – sending a message at the right time and in the right way will get you the right response. Price your products/services clearly Complicated formulas, hidden "add-on" costs and other pricing issues can impact your customer relationship. It's not simply a matter of avoiding unscrupulous practices like a "bait-and-switch"; it really comes down to being clear and ensuring that you're using a method that is both within the norms of your industry and understandable to your customers. Consider, for example, how GM's Saturn division earned customer loyalty through a "no hassle, no haggle" pricing policy, and how that was hurt when the company started charging a premium for one of its more popular models. Ask for the right information What information do you ask for from your customers and prospects? Make sure it is clear why you're asking for certain information from customers to ensure they don't think you have ulterior motives. The bottom line: explain why you need it and provide something in return that shows how you're using it. For example, if you ask a customer for demographic information (such as the size of its business or its industry), provide a solution based on that data. Guard privacy diligently Preventing the misuse of data you collect is vital to maintaining customer trust. Provide a clear, easy-to-understand privacy policy on your website. Let customers know up front how you will use information you collect during a transaction. Never share information without express permission from the customer. |
|
|
|
1-866-609-6146  |
