Currently I find myself in a black hole with a particular project. This is where—in spite of my best efforts—I have no idea where the project stands. The project managers of the company I am working do not communicate with me. I have no idea when my project will be completed. With a business announcement riding on the completion of the project, I am frustrated to say the least.
Has this ever happened to you? Have you found yourself lost in a fog of uncertainty because a person or business isn’t communicating with you?
Communication is the foundation of any successful endeavor. A pastor must be able to communicate from the pulpit. A coach must be able to clearly speak goals and expectations to their players. An artist must let the customer know price, timeline, and deadlines when accepting a commission.
Any business that deals with customers needs clear communication.
The client or customer will guess about all kinds of things to fill the void that lack of communication creates. Where you might not have been able to meet a deadline because you became ill, the customer might decide you were late because they were not important enough to you. Where you went with a slightly different color paper for the printing project—because you knew your customer was in a hurry and you didn’t have enough time to order the expected color—your client may believe you didn’t listen to them in the first place. In both cases, good customer service demands that the customer be apprised of the change in delivery date or change of product specifications.
When there is no communication, customers are left feeling out of the loop, disregarded, and as if they—the paying client—do not matter to the business owner. When a customer feels disregarded, ignored, or unimportant, what do you think they tell their friends? Do you think they will recommend that company or person to others? If asked to give a rating, how many stars do you think they will give?
Poor communication equals poor customer service.
Poor customer service equals a non-returning client.
That, my friends, affects the bottom line. It takes up to seven times more money to acquire new customers than it does to sell to loyal customers. The probability of making the sale to a new customer ranges from five to twenty percent, where the probablility of selling to an existing customer ranges from 60-70 percent.
You increase your odds of sales and success when you communicate with your customers.
For your bottom line, err on the side of over communicating. If you are delayed, tell them in advance and make sure it is okay with them. If you need to make different design decisions, get their approval ahead of time. One thing I do with my commission clients is have them approve their painting before I put the finishing touches on it. That tells them I care enough to make them happy and it protects me from any surprises at the time of delivery.
Value your clients. Put yourself in their shoes. Talk to them and share what you would like to know if your were where they are.
Communicate!
That is how you will build your business and gain five star ratings!
Great words of wisdom!
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