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TOP 10 “SURE FIRE” WAYS TO LOSE CLIENTS INSTANTLY We all want to have clients that keep coming back. After all, repeat business is what sustains us and makes us feel good about what we do. Repeat business also breeds new business. You know the difference between getting up in the morning and looking forward to working with a client that you love instead of the one that arrived on the pitchfork of the devil. Though most times, it is our attitude rather than theirs that makes it certain that we will lose their favor. There might even be times you'd want to free yourself of their problems. But most of the time, we want to keep their trust and continue serving them. We read and hear so much about keeping clients. Here are ten "sure fire" ways to lose them. There are more than ten ways to lose clients. In fact, there may be hundreds. In our everyday dealings with our clients, though, losing clients usually boils down to a few simple ways to avoid being told, "thanks we don't need you anymore". After looking back on the situation, objective examination usually reveals what happened. Sometimes what went wrong even "made sense". Frequently we lose clients and we don't even know why. Sometimes they just don't call you any longer and move on to being served by your competitor. You are the person who decides if you keep them or not. Marsha’s Top Ten "Surefire" Ways to Lose Clients Instantly 1. Excellence. Deliver less than excellence Excellence. When you deliver less than excellence, you settle for mediocrity both for yourself and your customers. "Attitude of indifference" is a phrase a colleague of mine, Arnold Sanow, uses to describe this. If you have an "attitude of indifference", the people you serve will simply go away and find someone else who isn't bored with their business. If clients are paying top dollar for you, and you command that kind of money for your talent, you should expect to delivery top quality service. Tardy. Let's turn the tables for a minute. Imagine you are waiting for something important and you expect it to arrive today. Instead it arrives the day after tomorrow, but that's too late. You needed it when you needed it. Worse yet, the person who was supposed to make the delivery happen didn't call to let you know it would be late. The person committed to making that delivery happen has just let you down. As a customer, you ought to be angry and your trust should be eroded. To add insult to your injury, this is a repeat performance. Relationship destroyed! Delivering your services or products consistently late is a quick way to sending your customer to your rival. Expectations. Do less than you promise and eventually your client will realize you can be replaced. When you agree to do something and you and the client concur, then do what you said you'd do and nothing less. It's common to say "Do neither more than nor less than you say you are going to do". Here, we're only saying "Do what you promise, not less." It's easy to do what you guarantee if you don't agree to do something you cannot. Simply take time to think about whether what you promise is something you can do. Overlook. Not handling client communications promptly tells your client that they are unimportant. It may seem that we are a slaves to telephone calls, E-mails and fax messages. Return your client's calls promptly and you will set yourself ahead of your competition. Neglecting their call for your help or answers spells unhappiness. They will quickly find a new company who will be responsive. Training. When you are delinquent in training your staff about what you do, how to do it, and the importance of exceptional customer support, you show your customers that you don't care about their needs. Too, you are telling your employees that you don't care about their development. It devalues your staff and your business. Treasure your employees and your customers. Your style and your manner of customer service will permeate everything you do. It's your signature, so make it an attractive mark. Appreciation. If you never or seldom follow up or thank your clients for their business you are ignoring the most enjoyable and important step. A simple handwritten "thank you" note goes a long way towards making a good connection sing and a mediocre one on its way to improvement. While there is no insurance policy that guarantees it, if you thank your clients you will get repeat business. It's also likely your client will look at you differently and will come back to you again and again. Follow up is the same thing. If you've done an excellent job isn't it great to hear that praise? Conversely, if what you delivered is less than what you promised, it's better to learn that early. It gives you another opportunity to turn the relationship around or fix what is broken. Don't you look forward to receiving handwritten notes in the mail? Your clients do too. Active Listening. Don't talk or allow other things to distract you while your customers are communicating with you. You will get onto the long list of people whose businesses don't survive. When you are distracted, it is obvious to the other person. When you talk over them, your insensitivity to what they are saying is apparent as well. Your customers translate your inattentiveness as indifference. Soon your customers begin to believe that you are callous and are not interested in serving their needs. They'll go somewhere else where someone will listen to them. Most customers appreciate simple active listening when they are speaking. Details. Yes, the devil is in the details. So often small items are overlooked. Neglecting details tells customers that if attention isn't paid to the little things, then the big things are not getting accomplished. When the details get lost or ignored, we demonstrate a hurried manner and a lack of caring. Isn't it great when you return to your hotel after a long day to find a turned-down bed and a chocolate on the pillow? Think of the details as the bed turndown and the chocolate. Small and maybe not noticeable if they're absent, but oh so appreciated when they're there. Mushroom Management. There are few things more dangerous than avoiding discussions with clients or hiding problems from them. Keep them in the dark when there are problems and the troubles get bigger. Face it when it happens. If you are in business, problems happen. It's up to you to handle them immediately. Don't make unpleasant surprises part of your reputation. Manage your clients' expectations. If you tell them what to anticipate and keep them involved, there should be no major bombshell you cannot discuss with them. Homework. Don't be neglectful about updating your own knowledge or finding out all the facts beforehand. This is as true when you are courting a new client as it is once they are your client. When you neglect doing your homework, you show that you are not a caring provider. Your clients believe that if you can't find out about their needs early, you won't pay attention once they need you to solve their problems. Once you have a client, it is equally important to keep current on their progress and know what is going on. Talk to your client frequently. Simple idea, but it really pays when you find out what their special priorities are and show them how valuable and insightful you are. Some of what is included here is said somewhat humorously, but most of it should be taken with a good strong cup of tea and in bright light. Take these 10, and call me in the morning! About the Author You can reach Arnold Sanow at www.ArnoldSanow.com. |
