Do you sometimes get the feeling that your clients expect too much from you?
No matter what industry you are in, it can be frustrating not to have the resources to meet the demands (and whims) of some of your customers. Here are 4 tips with which you can get ‘’better customers ‘’ for your small business.
1. Know who you are
Sometimes the fault does not lie with the client. The trouble with many small businesses is that they promise the world but then fail to deliver.
So if you say that you are ‘’full-service’’, make sure that you are. If you only offer a limited range of services, make sure you are clear about that. Be honest about your limitations. Through effective and open communication you can ensure that your customers have realistic expectations and that at the end of the day, neither party will need to deal with nasty surprises.
2. Get feedback, even if its negative
Getting better customers is about improving your business. And a way to do that would be to ask for feedback. There will be some clients who love the work you do, and then there will be some who don’t.
The trick is to let them vent so that you understand exactly where you went wrong. Whether you are selling clothes or web designing services, it pays to get negative feedback.
3. Provide realistic solutions
When you do get negative feedback, find out the reason behind your customers dissatisfaction. Chances are the client was right in getting mad. The opportunity now lies with you to transform the relationship. Take initiative in approaching the client and offering them realistic solutions that could rectify your error.
4. Revisit your business to attract better customers
It’s important to understand that it is okay to lose a client. The opportunity lies with you to make sure that you learn from it. Whether it is a problem with your branding or your service offerings, attracting better clients is usually possible when you improve yourself and your business.
A dropped client can mean a number of things. Take it as a challenge and don’t repeat your mistakes. With time, you will get better clients who are going to make your path to success easier.
