We all face difficult times at some point. When problems come our way we can become so occupied "fighting the fires" that we forget our clients in the process.
We must remember that our clients choose us, not the other way around. They see something in us of value or they would have never done business with us in the first place. When we experience hardship is the perfect time to validate the confidence they put in us. How can we do this? I'm glad you asked. ;)
1. Be PROACTIVE and honest. Contact your clients and be honest about what's going on. Remember that all people face difficulty from time to time and that your clients are no exception. While it's rarely wise to tell a client the intimate details of your life, the more open you can be with them the greater the chances that they will empathize with you. Tell them you need their help. Chances are you'll find a friend.
2. Communicate. Call, write a note, send an email, send a smoke signal! The method doesn't matter but making sure you communicate with them does. Now is not the time to become unavailable. Your situation may be as straightforward as a sick relative needing you to nurse them, but clients tend to imagine the worst. Don't make them imagine at all. Arm them with the facts. Return every customer call ASAP during this time.
3. If someone fills in for you, oversee them carefully. Don't accept "Everything's fine" as an answer. Get the details you need to feel comfortable that your business is being handled professionally while you are away. Communicate with this person by fax, email, voice mail ... whatever it takes.
4. Give your client a time frame. Allow yourself some wiggle room, but give your customer a date to fix on when everything will return to normal. This step alone has saved many a relationship. Giving them a time frame completely eliminates the tendency they have to feel that things are dragging on.
5. Tell them your plan. Meet with them (face to face is best) and tell them what your plan is to resolve the problem. Ask for their input as well. You'd be surprised how many companies and individuals have seen the water's edge.
6. Thank them when it's over. We're not talking a thank you card here. Find a tangible way to tell them how much it meant that they hung in there with you. Your clients are your business's lifeblood. Thanking them is an investment, not an expense. This is customer relationship management at it's finest. Its called making friends out of clients.
If you face tough times, use the steps above as part of your action plan. Inside every problem lie the seeds of its solution. Start with honest, open communication and you can't go wrong.
Keeping Clients Happy in Hard Times - To learn more about this author, visit Eva Gregory's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 Staying Positive in Tough Times
|
| |
Staying Positive in Tough Times is an article detailing positive ways to handle challenges.
It encourages readers to be optimistic and suggests ways to live an inspired life.
|
|
How to Keep Your Clients
|
| |
The key to long-term success in keeping your clients is to stay in touch with them. You work hard to build up trust and credibility, so don't lose them by not staying in touch.
|
|
Happy Talk Keep Talking Happy Talk For Your Success
|
| |
The road to success isn't necessarily one of motivation and hard work. Happiness and enjoyment should be the path we follow. When I make a sale, I'm not usually happy because I make a sale, but rather I make the sal...
|
|
Pet Sitting Success: How to Make $5,200 More this Year-Without Doing More Work!
|
| |
Even if you don't own a pet sitting business you can learn how to substancially increase your earnings in your service-based business by taking 5 minutes to read the article below!
|
|
Your Biggest Advantage
|
| |
Research conducted by Russ Alan Prince, a leading authority on affluent investors, found that clients consider their relationship with financial professionals to be four times more important than investment performa...
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance.
Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson.
His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more.
George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|
Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations,
networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business
ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|
Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation.
BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them?
If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|
Vwodek Wojczynski
Business Coach and Consultant Vwodek Wojczynski (pronounced Voy-chin-ski) brings fun, awareness, accountability and fresh perspectives based on his diverse experiences in life and business.
Born in Poland and educated in Greece and Canada, he is trilingual with 8 years experience in business development with clients in Canada, USA, Switzerland and Poland.
His approach is systematic and process-driven. He fuses the know-how of proven business methods with his commitment that entrepreneurs experience satisfaction and joy based on their values, motivations and strengths. He believes that businesses succeed based on their ability to generate value by providing what’s needed and wanted.
Ultimately, he trains executives and true business owners - people who work less, produce more, own businesses that run automatically after a while and make a difference globally.
His current research focus is the development of intelligent business systems and the application of emerging artificial intelligence technologies in business.
He is also an avid traveler, spoken word performer and visual artist. He resides in Toronto, Canada. - Visit Vwodek Wojczynski's Website |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
Eva Gregory
(Visit Eva's Website)
About the Author:
Eva Gregory, International Coach of the
Year 2006, "America's Feel Good Coach",
speaker and author of The Feel Good Guide
To Prosperity (w
ww.feelgoodguide.com)has instructed
thousands on the Law of Attraction in
person, on the radio and in dozens of
teleconference training seminars and
programs. She is the author of several
books and e-books and has co-developed
several telephone-based and internet-based
training courses on the Law of Attraction.
Her most popular program to date is her
Leading Edge Living One Year Success
Program. Eva is regularly featured on
radio and in the media and is a recognized
authority on the Law of Attraction. Her
latest book, co-authored with Jack
Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen is Life
Lessons for Mastering the Law of
Attraction. To learn more about her
products and services, visit www.LeadingEdgeCoaching.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR
WEB SITE?
You're welcome to use this article online
as long as it remains complete and
unaltered (including the "About The
Author" info above)
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
