How To Treat Your Clients As People, Not Numbers
When a company measures its performance only by statistics, it might lose sight of the human beings behind the numbers. Customers don’t want to be a line on a spreadsheet; instead, they want to feel taken care of. Understanding how to treat your clients as people and not numbers ensures they remain happy, so they keep coming back.
Don’t Take Them for Granted
When you have built a long-lasting relationship with a client, it’s easy to fall into the trap of taking them for granted. Not following up or neglecting their calls can happen when you assume you will always have their business. But they are one of your most loyal customers, likely from how you treated them in the past, so don’t throw away that goodwill. They enjoyed both your product or services and the camaraderie you had with each other. If that cordialness disappears, they won’t have to same feelings towards you or the company again.
Make Them Feel Seen
Being acknowledged, noticed, appreciated, and realizing our full potential with purpose are all feelings we have as humans. As a result, if a firm wishes to handle its clientele as people, it must recognize those human emotions. Connecting with them deeper takes the customer relationship to new heights. Always go the extra mile to make them feel like their voice and opinion matter most because doing so earns their respect.
Detach Measurements
It isn’t easy to get a genuine feeling for someone when there is a hypothetical measuring stick assessing each move. Once you start the mental math on how much a deal will make, you’ll lose sight of what’s important. Detach any measurables when you talk with your customer base. Don’t treat one differently because they are only a fraction of your revenue. They can immediately tell how you feel about them if they think you’re measuring their worth compared to other clients.
Look at Things From Their Perspective
Businesses often look at things from their perspective and what they will gain. However, putting yourself in your customer’s shoes helps you decipher their needs. Take time to judge your performance and treatment of clients. If you realize that your way of doing things would upset you in a deal, then the odds are that your clients feel the same way. You don’t want to lose them because of the myopic viewpoint that acquiring new customers is more challenging than retaining them.
Learning to treat your clients as people, not numbers, is vital no matter what industry you are in. You want your customer to walk away from meetings feeling like they were chumming it up with a friend and not just a revenue stream for your business.
