Targeting enterprise customers in highly competitive market segments, like telecom, require the need to go the extra yard
It’s not easy to keep customers happy, period.
I was recently part of a CEO summit where we talked about the difficulty in converting new clients and keeping existing customers from spending on the “next best thing.” Regardless of our respective industries, my fellow executives agreed it was one of the most challenging issues they faced, during good and bad economic times.
While price is almost always a factor, I’ve found technology customers these days are more inclined to partner with vendors who “have their back” when times get tough. They also want to work with vendors who take the time to understand their business and the customers they serve.
Over the course of my career in technology, I’ve had the good fortune to be part of several start-ups. Regardless of the product or service, I’ve stayed committed to several key customer service promises, no matter what.
Regardless of your professional role, your internal and external service skills should be firing on all cylinders, at all times. I’d like to share my customer service best practice tools, which I hope will serve you well regardless if business is booming – or not.
Get the mission accomplished
Maintaining a continuum of internal communication can be a debilitating hurdle for small and large companies. This starts with senior management. Good or bad, keep everyone in the loop through quick live meetings and electronic messaging. Relay key news items – no more than three bullet points per meeting. Offer a “Q&A” at the end so your staff’s questions and concerns can be voiced.
See the business through your customer’s eye
Flip your hat around and become one of your clients for half a day a few times per year. I also call my customer service center, our engineering team and the shipping department to ask some tough (anonymous) questions.
When was the last time you read every page of your website? This is where your future clients check you out. Can they quickly disseminate who you are and what you do best?
What messages are you sending to customers, competitors, the media – and even potential investors – through each of your social media channels (or are you even engaged in this marketing avenue)?
The customer is more important than the company
The adage is still true: the customer is always right (even when they aren’t). This is a rule to guide your business from the day you open your doors until the day you walk out of it. Establish a clear and specific customer service policy that explains “what you’re made of.”
Trust me, your competition probably isn’t doing this, which is precisely why you should.
Do more, give more, be better than expected
Be the “wow” factor. Impress, exceed expectations, bring it. Not only will your client be blown away, you’ll go home feeling pretty good yourself.
Even a brief customer service interaction is an opportunity to retain a customer for the long term
Three minutes spent talking to a customer shapes their impression of your company more than the price or quality of your goods or services. Do you know who that customer is? Can your sales or customer service team draw on a previous interaction to assure the client of their importance to your company?
Often, it’s the brief and unexpected business interactions – good or bad – that prove to be the most memorable, much like life.
Empower your team to do whatever it takes
Make it clear that everyone is expected to go above and beyond to satisfy and impress every customer, every day. Be helpful. Take some of the load off for them. Ensure every customer understands how important their business is to you. Simply exceed expectations.
Listen-up
Clients are people first. They have good days, bad bosses and too much work on their plates. Like the rest of us, they appreciate feeling valued. Ask how you can help. Ask their opinions about something you’re working on – value their expertise. By listening, instead of selling, the relationship will ultimately be more fruitful for both of you.
Keep clients in the know
Systems and services evolve, especially in the technology industry. Internally and externally, keep clients in the mix. They appreciate you sharing breaking industry news, insight and expertise. Be seen as a thought leader, not just a vendor, in your field of expertise.
Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up
In a well-known Harvard Business Review study of more than 2,000 U.S. companies, new business-to-business leads received staggeringly slow responses from sales teams. Twenty-three percent of the companies never responded to new leads at all. Those who did act took 42 hours to do so, on average.
Ensure that your sales and customer service teams have the tools they need to get this pivotal job done quickly and effectively. There is no better place to invest your money and manpower.
Make it easy to share feedback
In my opinion, the best way to garner good and bad feedback from clients is often unique to your industry. In the B2B world, the way vendors interact with clients sets the dialogue. I’ll leave it at this – find a methodology that’s easy for customers to let you know what they think and how you are doing. Have a system in place to react quickly and personally to any and all feedback.
Answer your phone
We’ve all been there – we’ve needed an answer, some guidance, a product or service from our supplier – and were left hanging for too long. You’re left with that feeling that you don’t really matter (that much).
I’m not suggesting any professional person be married to email 24/7. But making sure your key departments are covered around the clock gives clients the peace of mind that, so far as your company is concerned, you are ready to help, should they need you.
And isn’t that what most of us are selling at the end of the day?
Jay VanOrden is the founder and CEO of Worldwide Supply, a New Jersey headquartered B2B company providing pre-owned networking hardware and services solutions for the data, wireless and wireline technology sector. The company has seven offices in the U.S., Mexico and the Netherlands. He can be reached by calling 888.328.2266.
Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Reality Check section is where C-level executives and advisory firms from across the mobile industry share unique insights and experiences.
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