By: Ademuyiwa Oluwakemi
This attitude is found lacking in many business owners of the century. Business owners are only focused on their business expansions and income generation but fail to understand the importance of customer friendliness. To be customer friendly, you have to establish close relations with customers and regard them as an integral part of your business. This, you do by knowing what they want per time. The way you treat your customers shows how friendly you are with them.
Customers are not usually treated well in business transactions. Some even talk down to their customers without regard. The way a customer is treated determines if there will be a comeback or not. As a businessman, will you patronize yourself? Judge yourself based on your customer service.
Here are a few tips to guide you through customer friendliness
Communicate respectfully and lovingly
With the right words to say, you can easily build a long-lasting relationship with your customers. Don’t talk to them rudely but treat them with the respect they deserve. Your customers might not be friendly in your first meeting but make them feel so comfortable with you. The way you speak and respond to your customer’s matters a lot. They can talk to you rudely but never respond in the same manner. Be the calm one. You know two hots can’t stay together, they will burn each other but there has to be a cold one and it has to be you. Most self employers don’t know this but your customers are your bosses. Never think you are your boss. You work for them. Your existence is because of them. So, respect them even when you think they are undeserving. You can convince potential clients with your communication skills. I had once gotten something I didn’t need because of the way it was advertised. Did it matter? No, because I kept it to use and the business owner has earned an income. Do well to smile always, never put on a frown when conversing with the client(s). You must have heard the principle that states that customers are always right. Uphold that principle in your daily business routine.
Know and satisfy your customer’s needs.
You have to actively function well in this aspect. Delivering a wrong order often puts customers off. Just so you know, without customer satisfaction, all is vanity. Never offer your clients any product or service not requested for. You might think it isn’t that serious but it is more serious than you can imagine. Be well informed about their needs and ways to satisfy them. Don’t go all out to impose anything on them but recommendations are allowed. Establishing a relationship with your customers helps to enhance an understanding between you and them. Therefore, you can easily know what they want. With the right communication skills, you are good to go.
Your customers are the reason you have a business in the first place. They play a huge role in the promotion and expansion of your business. Below are three major benefits of customer friendliness in business:
Stability
In business, you should be well aware of your audience flow in and flow out. Do you have more audience coming in or are you losing customers? With great customer service, a huge comeback is certain. I have always heard a customer draws ten more customers, have you heard so too? To get recommendations from clients, you need to prove to them that you are worth it. Treat them well. Be their friend and know their wants. Meet up with their demands and you will get stability. Note this, even in your pursuit of new customers, never ignore the ones you’ve had for some time. Keep getting in touch with them and ensure that they are stable. If you make friends with them, they would feel indebted to them and wouldn’t want to patronize someone else because they will begin to see it as a betrayal. The stability of customers/clients ensures that you would have more cash flows. More sales are sure, you have nothing to worry about.
Make a brand
With the right business attitude, you will have customers talking about you everywhere. They begin to create a public image for you; recommending you to friends. You can also turn enemies in your favor, it all depends on how friendly you are. People would begin to recognize your brand and appreciate it. They would patronize you because of the things they have heard concerning you. Always appreciate your customers, it pays well.
Stand out!
You will always have competitors in your business. You need to understand that you can be different from other business owners. Don’t be like those who speak very rudely to their customers. Treat them with respect and love and you will see that they will keep coming back. When you establish an uncommon friendliness with your clients, they are indebted to you. You have bought their loyalty already. Even if your neighbor competitor has more quality products than you do, they will keep patronizing you. That is the power of communication. I had once gone to purchase in a famous grocery store and the attitude of the attendant kept me off and I swore never to go back there. I went to another store nearby but it wasn’t as famous and I was treated well. I keep patronizing them to date. They stood out and in no time, they began to have more customers than the supposed famous store.
Are you worried about income generation? Don’t think hard and far, with this attitude, you can get more than your expectations. Business doesn’t grow without its audiences. Therefore, treat your clients well and start today. It’s never too late. Remember that the first impression lasts longer.
