There is another big question this morning. When my husband is talking to a client, I wonder how I can keep inaccurate statements from my lips when the client is struggling at 6 in the morning. Is there some kind of exercise class we can do to keep us on the right side of the fine line? Where is the training to help us maintain a mindset that only thinks of jumping over the proverbial fence “you know what you can do” and not jumping?
There are a few things you can do to reduce your chances of losing and sending customers in the future. This is a great trick that many entrepreneurs and small businesses are afraid to implement, but it will make your business life more productive.
Only take calls from clients if you have the right mindset.
Ringing the phone while your head is still on the pillow is probably not a good time to take a call from a concerned or angry customer. Most of us are not mentally alert enough to get a relationship right 10 seconds after lying on the beach with a fan next to the clear blue sea and drinking umbrella drinks. We also weren’t prepared for the devastating emotional phone call from a client at bedtime after a long day, like most small business owners.
Choose your time wisely. Obtain and conduct client interviews during daily windows of optimal cognitive function. If you are a morning person, talk to customers in the morning. If you are a night person, do it at night. The point here is to do it when it’s best for you. Don’t stress yourself because you need to be available to your customers 24/7. It’s ridiculous now that there are so many other types of communication available to us such as good morning in email, instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Tell the client that you read the mail
Every day and if necessary, call _____ back on that specific day and time and fill in the blanks. Make sure you are available at that time and day.
Maintaining good relationships with customers is essential to business performance. To ensure this, we need to plan better. We are not robots; we are human and we need to be regulated. Our client has a schedule and thankfully shows up. You can always respond to an emergency, but balancing the time when you are mentally available with the time when you are physically available and customer relations increases profitability.