Customer Relations LAP 1Customer Relations LAP 1

Nature of Customer Relations

Nature of Customer Relations

Discuss the importance of positive customer relations.

Describe ways that organizations can build

positive customer relations.

Objectives:Objectives:

Nature of Customer RelationsNature of Customer Relations

Discuss the importance of positive customer relations. Discuss the importance of

positive customer relations.

“Every great business is built on friendship.”

View their customers as people, not just numbers or dollar signs

Build relationships with customers

Serve customers with courtesy and respect

This statement still applies today!

– J.C. Penney

Businesses should:

Customer relations:• Refers to all the activities a business engages

in to interact with its customers

• Is often used interchangeably with the term customer service

• They are more than just satisfied.

• Their expectations are exceeded.

Having positive customer relations = making customers happy

• You listen to their feedback.

• You take their needs seriously.

Having positive customer relations = making customers feel important

• You establish relationships with them.

• You strive to keep problems from happening.

• You create positive customer experiences.

Having positive customer relations = being proactive

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

They know how they want to be treated.

They will take their business elsewhere if you fail to meet their expectations.

Customers are tough to please.

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Customers are knowledgeable.

They spend their money wisely.

“Shopping around” for better service is easy to do.

Customer relations often makes the difference in the choice between two businesses offering the same product at the same price.

Competition is fierce.Competition is fierce.

Building positive customer relations is one of the least expensive ways to compete.

• A smile, a “thank you,” and a helpful attitude are free.

• Even the smallest business can afford to provide them.

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Positive customer relations encourages repeat business and customer loyalty.

Over time, long-term customers can spend a lot of money with the business.

Retaining current customers costs less than reaching brand-new customers.

Loyalty is valuable.

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Word-of-mouth promotion—when customers tell their family and friends about your business

Potential customers take it very seriously since it comes from trusted sources.

Warning: The information can be negative as well.

Word-of-mouth promotion is priceless.

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Importance of Building Positive Customer Relations

Productivity matters—spending extra time and effort on positive customer relations can actually

increase productivity.

Create satisfied customers

Contribute to overall business success

Employees are key.

Valuing customer relations creates a positive working environment for employees.

Satisfied employees help to:

Describe ways that organizations can build positive customer relations.

Describe ways that organizations can build positive customer relations.

Business processes Approach all decisions and activities with customers

in mind.

Make customer relations a priority in the overall organizational plan.

Identify and focus on target markets.

Continuously evaluate customer needs and wants.

Even if you have no control over organizational planning,

• Approach your daily job tasks with customers in mind.

• Be attentive to feedback.

Business environment

Tangible (physical)—facilities, waiting rooms, etc.

Intangible—the way customers and employees feel when they interact with the business

• Known as corporate culture for employees

• Should promote teamwork, respect, and professionalism

Technology

Allows customers greater access to the business

• Answers to FAQs

• Product photos and information

• Order forms

• Shipping trackers

Web sites

Example:

Technology

Allows customers greater access to the business

Call centers

• Technical support

• Feedback

More personalized attention

Better targeted marketing campaigns

Allows businesses to track and organize customer information more efficiently and effectively

People

Most important factor in customer relations

Employees can “make it or break it.”

Customer relations skills are important in:

• Recruiting

• Hiring

• Training

• Promoting

The customer comes first.

Put this “rule” into practice during every customer interaction.

It applies even when a customer is being difficult or demanding.

Be “customer-centric.”

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Building positive customer relations depends on employees:

Pay attention to internal customers.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

• They are the “face” of the company to the public.

• Their actions greatly impact how customers feel about the business.

Attitude is contagious—unhappy employees have difficulty creating and maintaining positive customer relations.

The best form of communication is listening respectfully.

Customers have valuable information to give—they will:

Communicate.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

• Tell you about their wants and needs

• Let you know what you’re doing well and what you can improve

• Explain how you’re stacking up to the competition

Encourage customers to give feedback:

• Make it easy for them to do.

• Offer incentives.

View them as opportunities rather than annoyances.

Successfully resolving a complaint can lead to an even better customer relationship.

Fix the problem with courtesy.

Apologize!

Resolve complaints in a quick, satisfactory manner.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Businesses’ success depends on customer loyalty.

Customers appreciate it when businesses show gratitude.

Saying “thanks”:

Be thankful.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

• Is often simple and free

• Can sometimes be shown through special benefits or perks

Always treat customers with respect.

Smile.

Offer handshakes.

Use customers’ names.

Display courtesy, friendliness, and professionalism at all times.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Broken promises = poor customer relations

Better to under-promise and over-deliver than to break a promise

Keep your promises.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Know how to handle customers’ basic questions and problems.

If you can’t help, know who can.

Be helpful.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

They can happen:

Remember your touch points.

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

Techniques for Building Positive Customer Relations

• Over the phone

• Online

• Through the mail

• Through marketing communications

Create a positive experience for every customer, every time.

How does your school or educational institution build positive “customer” relations with its students?

What steps does it take to:

• Make students feel important?

• Demonstrate that it takes their needs seriously?

Does it encourage feedback and communication?

Are you a happy “customer”?

How should you treat a customer who is difficult or dishonest?

Example:

• You’re working at the customer-service counter of a retail store.

• A customer attempts to return an item that has clearly been damaged after the sale.

• Company policy says that you cannot accept returns of damaged merchandise.

• Unfortunately, you have no way to prove the customer is at fault.

• The customer says he received the item in damaged condition.

What should you do?

• Accept the return without question?

• Or, refuse?

How do you decide between losing revenue and creating negative customer relations?

Acknowledgments

Original Developers:

Sarah Bartlett Borich and Lelia Ventling, MBAResearch

Version 1.0

Copyright © 2010MBA Research and Curriculum Center

Acknowledgments

Original Developers:

Sarah Bartlett Borich and Lelia Ventling, MBAResearch

Version 1.0

Copyright © 2010MBA Research and Curriculum Center

Digital-based photography sources:

Jupiter Images Unlimited

Various images used in this presentation are ©2004 Liquid Library. All rights reserved www.jiunlimited.com

Microsoft Clip Gallery

Various clipart used in conjunction with PowerPoint 2005® Clip Art, Microsoft® All rights reserved One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA , 98052-6399 USA

www.dgl.microsoft.com

Copyright:

All photographic digital images on this CD are owned

by the aforementioned photographic resources or

their licensors and are protected by the United States

copyright laws, international treaty provisions, and

applicable laws. No title to or intellectual property

rights to the images on this CD are transferred to you.

These sources retain all rights and are not to be used,

digitally copied, transferred, or manipulated in any

way. To do so is a violation of federal copyright laws.