Earlier this year a women in my condo building turned 110. That is not a typo ~ she was born Jan 1, 1907! My building had a party for her and it was mentioned she had so many friends because she made people feel special.
What if we apply this when we serve our customers? Would that help us gain more customers?
So how can we make our customers feel special?
Listen to them not only to what they say but also what they do not say. This is not easy but is a skill that can be learned. When you listen, be attentive to the problems first, then look for solutions second after you understand them.
Be empathetic and non-judgmental (even though this tough). Put yourself in their shoes and see their problems from their perspective.
Be honest on what you can do for them, your experience, what is the probable outcome as well as expectations you have of them. Also be honest with yourself on how flexible you can be with things such as scope, time commitment and fees.
No one is an expert in everything. You have expertise in your field and your customer has expertise in his/her industry. No need to talk down to them.
Finally show that you care about no only for the business but for them also as a person. Of course you need to be authentic about how you feel and also strive to always give 100 percent.
My neighbor used to be a school teacher and even though she didn’t have her own business we can all learn from her how to serve our customers well. In turn they will serve us well.