So you’ve worked really hard to win over those new customers, now how do you keep them happy? It sounds silly and it’s honestly not rocket science, but the value of good account management should never be underestimated.
Expectations
The fundamental pillar of any business relationship is understanding what your customer expects from you, and then delivering on any promises made, and account management allows you to do this. A major bug-bear of customers is that a Sales Representative goes in and promises the world and the delivery just doesn’t match up. Be very clear from the get-go about what you are able to do for your customer, now and in the future. If a product is on Back Order and isn’t going to be available – tell them. Be clear, provide a valid explanation and move on. Under-delivering or allowing your customer to feel let down just isn’t cool.
Make Yourself Available
No-one likes to chase or have to make a second phone call. Return messages and emails within a few hours, even if it’s just to say I have your voicemail/email and I’m working on it. Your customer needs to know they have been heard and that their query or complaint is in hand. If it’s difficult to get hold of you to get something actioned, they can and will very quickly go elsewhere.
Build a Relationship
Get to know your customers and what makes them tick. Monday’s and Friday’s tend to be the best days to do this. Ask open ended questions such as “What did you do this weekend?”, as opposed to “Did you have a good weekend?” which can be answered with a simple yes or no. Listen to their answer, and ask further related questions. Show a genuine interest in someone and their life and it goes a long way to building that lasting relationship.
Be Prepared
Always do your leg-work ahead of any client meetings and reviews. No-one likes to feel that their time has been wasted.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Yes, it’s absolutely a two-way street but to a certain extent – the customer is always right. If your company has let them down in some way, accept that they are most likely going to be upset about it – empathise and put it right. That’s not to say be a door-mat and always back down but there are ways to get a productive outcome out of a complaint and there are ways to add fuel to those flames. You always want it to be the former.
Offer Something New
Think of ways to make your customer feel special. This doesn’t have to be an extravagant gesture, the small things can be just as effective. A coffee, cupcake or article you saw in the Sunday papers shows that you have considered their interests/likes/dislikes and always helps set you apart.
Got a new product or service launching? Tell them about it. If you’re excited about it, it’s likely that they will be interested too. The same goes for special offers or deals, always reward loyalty.
What are your tips and tricks for effective Account Management? Please share in the comments below – we would love to hear from you.
