Ensuring Good Customer Relationships

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Ensuring Good Customer Relationships
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A relationship between a business and its
clients/customers is generally thought of as one
of the most important aspects of running an
organization. There are 4 steps to ensuing that
your organization maintains a good relationship
with its customers.
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Step 1 (Know Your Company) This processes begins
with understand ones own company/industry. This
seems like a fairly easy first step however it
can be the most challenging. It was Theodore
Levitt, a lecturer at the Harvard Business School
which stated the question What business are you
really in?
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It is crucial that a company is fully aware of
what it does and what it offers to its customers.
He refers to the railroad industry suggesting
that, had they assessed themselves more
accurately as a transportation company rather
than a railroad company they would have continued
to grow.
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Instead they were marketing themselves
incorrectly and targeting the wrong customers.
So, before a company can make its customers happy
it has to know who its customers should be.
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Step 2 (Be Honest)   Being honest in ones
business dealings is a given. However, in this
case it has a duel meaning. Companies should be
honest with what they are capable of doing, and
with their customers. Not every company can be an
expert in all fields. Certainly, many companies
can provide multiple services however they may
not be providing quality service in all fascists
of their dealings.
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It is important that companies dont overextend
their offerings simply to gain a new client or
customer, when they have limited expertise in
that field. For example, a local moving company
may be excellent at providing local moves,
however if the opportunity presents itself to do
an international move, they may capitalize on it
not knowing the full scope of the work.
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There may be additional packaging required to
facilitate the rough road conditions, or
clearances that are required to cross borders, or
a host of other issues and concerns they are not
familiar with, because they are not experts in
long distance moves. Needless to say, that a
moving companys customers are not going to be
happy with the results of the move.
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Therefore it is essential that companies do not
mislead their customers and ensure that they are
honest in all of their dealings.
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Step 3 (Offer Alternative Solutions) One of the
most common statements in business has been the
customer is always right. This statement is
often a cause of concern since the customer is
not the expert.  Using the moving industry once
again as an example.
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If a customer is suggesting that their items be
packed into a truck in a specific way, yet that
way increases the likelihood of damage to occur,
should the company proceed with the customers
request? In such a case the company should not
proceed with the customers demand as it will
likely result in damaged items.
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A better approach is to explain the
repercussions and outcome of loading the truck in
such a way, and communicating alternative
suggestions. If the customer refuses to
compromise, then it may be better to cut ties
with the customer rather than risk damaging their
items and ultimately the companys image.
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Step 4 (Follow Up) Feedback, weather negative
or positive is very important to ensuring that
customer satisfaction remains high. Following the
completion of a service, or sale of the product
it is important that companies take into account
any shortcomings or virtues action or procedures
they may have performed.
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All of these steps help to make certain that
customer relationships remain positive. It is
important to remember that communication and
honesty should always be prioritized.http//themo
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