Make Your Customers’ Business Your Business, as featured in Crain’s by Viva’s Laura Sheridan

MAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS’ BUSINESS YOUR BUSINESS

By Laura Sheridan

When was the last time you talked to a customer about their business, not yours? Can’t recall? Here are three reasons why these calls are great for your business and four easy steps to get started.

Why should you make the call?

Reason No. 1: Turn a transaction into a relationship. A lot of us aren’t very good at listening. Just stop and observe. You’ll hear lots of people talking about themselves and their situations. It’s refreshing to have someone engage in a conversation about you and your needs.

Think about your vendors and suppliers. How many times last week did one call just to check in and ask about your priorities and their service? How would you react if one did? Do you think it’s an effective approach to differentiate them?

A short call reminds people you exist and why you’re different and special. If people don’t remember you, they’re not going to remember to call you when they need you.

We’re not suggesting that you make a call without a purpose. Rather the goal is to listen and hear what’s on your client’s mind. These calls can be short. Ten minutes is often plenty to show you really care about their business and that you’re interested in helping them.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This isn’t a task for your customer service team. It’s a priority for you!

Reason No. 2: Spur innovation.

A second benefit of calling clients to listen — and not sell — relates to innovation. Scientists have discovered our brains give us the best ideas when we’re relaxed and open-minded. Let yourself think about your client’s business and its challenges. These calls can be fun. Allow yourself to be exposed to stimuli that can help trigger creativity.

Calls to clients in which you listen to them describe their challenges can be that trigger. Successful new products are ones that solve problems. These calls are a great way for you to learn about your client’s challenges and thus provide the spark you need to come up with solutions. Make enough of these calls and you’ll hang up from one and say to yourself, “It wouldn’t be hard for me to create a product or service to solve that problem.”

Reason No. 3: Assess your customer service. A third benefit is getting firsthand feedback on how well your staff is serving your client. Sure you can read reports, customer satisfaction survey data and talk to your VP of sales, but nothing beats the personal commentary and details you can hear directly from a client. The input might come up naturally in the conversation or you can fish for it. At the end of the call, you’ll have a better sense for how your team is servicing that client.

Convinced it’s worth calling your clients? Then how do you do it?

Step No. 1: Prioritize whom to call. You have many options for whom to call, for example: Your largest clients; clients who have decreased their business with you; clients with huge growth potential; clients you don’t know well; or new clients. Whatever you decide, prioritize the calls based on your goals. This is not a random task.

Step No. 2: Set a goal and measure. You’re more likely to be successful if you attach a numeric target to this effort. Start by calling one client a week, then two, then three. What’s key is that you create a realistic goal with a timeframe and then do it. Just like you monitor financial results, track your calls.

Step No. 3: Make the calls. These calls don’t have to be long. You’re busy and the person you’re calling is busy.

Step No. 4: Document it. Record your efforts. Use Excel or your CRM (customer relationship management) system. Keep track of your hard work and share the information you collect with your staff.

These calls could be the most fun item on your “to do” list. There’s no pressure on you and there’s no pressure on the person you’re calling since your purpose isn’t to ask for the sale. Rather, you’re calling to connect or reconnect with someone who’s important to your business.

So, whom are you going to call first?