8 Simple Ways to Build Rapport with Clients and Customers
Building rapport and personal relationships with clients and customers begin with building trust. This blog will cover how to do that by showing you what works well for building harmonious relationships with your client and what does not. In addition, we discuss the importance of being genuine, having mutual trust, and active listening. Finally, we talk about why customer service matters – and why it shouldn’t be just another job.
1. Ask people their names
The most important thing about building relationships is establishing a sense of trust. If you ask someone for his name, it tells him that he matters to you. You are interested in what he does, how he feels, where he lives, etc. In return, he will feel comfortable sharing information with you.
If you want to establish a relationship with your customers, start asking questions like “What do you like?” or “How did you find me?”. This is the start of building a personal connection with them!
2. Be honest
If you don’t know the answer, say it. If you’re unsure about something, admit it. You’ll find that most people are willing to help out a fellow human being. And if you want to make sure someone knows what you mean, spell it out clearly. Being honest leads to healthy rapport with your customers and establishes a level of trust with them.
3. Be accommodating
Customers want to feel comfortable talking to you, especially if it’s about a sensitive topic like money. If someone calls you out of the blue, don’t immediately start pitching products; take some time to ask questions and learn what the customer needs. Then, offer solutions. You might even consider asking the caller how he got your number. This gives you insight into the type of person calling you and helps you tailor your pitch accordingly. Active listening skills go a long way here and can really put your client at ease especially if you’re discussing sensitive topics.
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4. Remember trust is key to building rapport with customers
Salespeople often make promises about products and services without really understanding what it takes to deliver on those promises. They think that because they are good at selling, they know how to do everything else involved in running a successful sales organization. But that isn’t true. In fact, most people who start out in sales fail miserably. Why? Because they lack one very important skill: they don’t understand customer needs well enough to offer solutions that meet those needs.
The best way to avoid failure is to build strong relationships with potential clients and to listen carefully to what they say. This requires empathy on the part of sales professionals. You can’t fake empathy; you either feel it or you don’t. If you’re not feeling it, ask yourself why not. Then take steps to change that situation. Empathy is essential if you want to make genuine connections with your clients during the sales process.
5. Be empathetic
Empathy is about being able to identify and understand another person’s feelings and thoughts. If you want to build trust and rapport with people, it helps to show that you understand where they’re coming from. In sales, empathy and emotional intelligence are some of the most important skills because it allows you to put yourself in the shoes of customers. You can use empathy to help overcome objections and close deals. Empathy allows you to engage with your customer on a deeper personal level.
People who lack empathy tend to view others through the lens of how things affect them. They don’t think about the impact of their actions on others. Because they don’t understand others, they often assume that others feel the same way they do. This leads to conflict and misunderstanding. This is why empathic listening can be a huge game changer for your sales phone calls and essentially lead to better rapport and client relationships.
Salespeople who display empathy are considered trustworthy and reliable. Customers perceive them as honest and sincere. When you empathize with someone, you acknowledge that he or she might have different opinions and concerns than yours. You take into account those differences while still trying to understand why someone feels the way s/he does.
6. Be a good listener
Sales agents often find themselves in situations where they are asked to do something without having been properly briefed about it. They feel like they’re being given a task without knowing how to complete it. In such cases, sales agents must learn to listen carefully to client’s needs and concerns. If they don’t know anything about the product or service they’re selling, they’ll never be able to provide the best solution.
Clients want to talk about their challenges and issues. When they tell you about their problem, make sure you show interest in their story. Listen attentively and try to understand what they really want. Ask open-ended questions to gain insight into their goals and expectations. You might even ask them what they think you can do for them. Once you’ve gathered enough information, you can start thinking about possible solutions. Being a good listener is crucial for fostering effective communication with your clients.
7. Learn to say sorry
Apologies are vital. They show you care about someone else. And they help diffuse difficult situations. But how do you make an effective one? Here’s what you need to know.
1. Be honest
Be open and upfront about why you apologize. Explain clearly what happened and why it matters to you. Then, apologize sincerely. Don’t try to weasel out of responsibility. If you don’t feel comfortable apologizing, ask someone else to speak up for you.
2. Make sure you mean it
Make sure you really want to apologize. You might think you’re just being polite, but people won’t believe you. When you apologize, you’ll look like you actually care.
3. Say something specific
When you apologize, use concrete examples of what went wrong. For example, “I’m sorry I didn’t call you yesterday. My phone died and I forgot.” Or, “I”m sorry I got angry when you asked me to pick up some milk. I wasn’t thinking straight because my son had been sick earlier that day.”
8. Restate their problem in your own words.
When explaining problems to customers, it’s important to restate the problem in your own words rather than simply answering the question asked. This helps you clarify what the customer needs and gives you the opportunity to provide additional value.
For example, if a customer asks how much something costs, you might say, “That depends on the size,” instead of just saying “it’s $20.” By restating the problem in your own terms, you’re able to explain why the price varies based on the item’s dimensions. You can also use this technique to help solve problems. For instance, if someone says she doesn’t know where to find a particular product, you could ask her whether she wants to buy online, in person, or both.
By providing context for the customer’s request, you give yourself the chance to add value. And you’ll likely earn some goodwill along the way.
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Conclusion
Rapport is built over time. Don’t try to build it too quickly. You shouldn’t try to force this too much. Instead, start small and build up slowly. Focus on finding common ground, active listening, and building trust with your clients.
When you are trying to build rapport, make sure you are focusing on the positive aspects of the person you’re dealing with. If you’re not sure where to start with rapport building, it might help to hire a sales virtual assistant who has the right attitude, and know-how and can start building these positive relationships with your customers asap! DigiWorks is an amazing platform that will connect you with talent that has the right sales and customer service skills to build and maintain customer rapport.
Lastly, make sure you are aware of the fact that rapport takes time to build. So don’t try to do it too fast!
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