If there’s one thing that you quickly realise as a new business owner, it’s that you can’t simply enter the industry and become everyone’s favorite new company. In fact, there’s a good chance that there’s plenty of competition already fighting for that title. Not only that, because they’ve been around longer, they’re companies that people trust. And that’s where your challenge lies.
Trust is something that’s so important when it comes to running a business. While your intention is obviously to make profits through your business, potential customers don’t want to deal with a soulless brand that’s just after their money. You need to earn their trust and put in the effort to prove that you’re a business that’s worth dealing with. So, with that in mind, here’s how you can prove to your customers that you’re a company worth dealing with.
Ask for feedback
Feedback and reviews are a great way of showing potential customers who you are as a business. Ask yourself this; what’s the first thing you do if you’re considering using a company you’ve never dealt with before? There’s a good chance that you look for reviews on their products and services online, right?
These days, people don’t hesitate to share their feedback online, so why not ask for it too? Once you’ve set up a Google My Business account and claimed your business as yours, people will be able to easily leave reviews and feedback for the products or services you offer. If you find that your feedback is more negative than not, it’s time to make some changes to your approach.
Thoroughly vet your suppliers
The last thing you want when trying to prove yourself to potential customers is a supplier ruining your reputation. Your customers want not only a great service, but they want to know that the products they’re buying are the best quality and sourced well too. Think about it this way, if you were to hire someone to come and build an extension on your home, you’d want to know that the materials they use are sourced ethically and of high quality, right?!
Because of this, you need to take the time to thoroughly vet your suppliers. While you might have provided amazing customer service and held up your end of the bargain, if anything is found to be of bad quality or poorly sourced, it’s going to affect the trust your customer has with you in the future.
Donate to charity
We mentioned a soulless company earlier. One way to make sure people see that there is heart and soul in a business is by donating to charity. You’ve almost certainly seen adverts for charities that are sponsored by big names and it’s for this exact reason – to show that they genuinely care about more than just their profits!
So, by donating to charity, you not only help a group of people in need, but you also build trust with your customers. For example, if you’re supporting nonprofits, using things like nonprofit accounting software can make it easier to track donations and make sure that you know exactly where funds are going. Putting that extra layer of effort in will go a long way when it comes to getting the trust of your customers.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re donating a percentage of your sales or rallying your team to volunteer in fundraising events, it will make a difference to how current and potential customers see you as a business. And, if you can align it with causes that reflect your business, you’ll find that it’s a quid pro quo situation – quite literally.
Check up on them
A lot of businesses make the mistake of thinking that once the sale is complete, their work is done. In fact, when it comes to building trust, it’s the complete opposite. One really great way to show customers that you’re trustworthy is by checking up on them after they’ve purchased from you. For example, if you’ve got an email address or their home address from delivering an item, why not get in touch to see how satisfied they are with their purchase? This not only gives you a chance to get further feedback to keep improving your services, but it also gives you the chance to send coupons to entice them back as well.
Alternatively, you could simply pick up the phone! As an example, if you’ve recently helped lay a new driveway in their home, give them a call to see if they’re still happy with the work you’ve done! You’ll find that more often than not they are happy with the end result. But, if they’re not, it gives you the chance to rectify any issues and keep that trust in your company.
Treat them with respect!
Now, this one might seem like a very obvious one, but it often falls short for many businesses. Trust isn’t something that’s owed to you. It’s something that’s earned. And, if you don’t show any respect to your customers, how can you expect them to return that respect and also trust you? Keep these ideas in mind when interacting with your customers:
- Go above and beyond for your customers. Someone who goes out of their way to make a customer happy will be respected.
- Anticipate their needs. While this isn’t always possible, small and helpful gestures like packing bags for someone or offering to carry their bags to the car will make a difference.
- Address your customers properly! If you know your customer’s name, things like “Sorry for the wait Mr Dee, I’ll be with you as soon as possible” will go a long way.
- Make customers feel welcome when they visit you. You might already know how intimidating it can be to enter a store or a restaurant and feel out of place. Make sure you greet people with a smile and show them that they are welcome.
- Don’t forget to use your manners!
- Admit when you’re wrong. Human errors happen and simply apologising and rectifying the problem is more than enough to earn and keep that respect.
Simple actions like this show customers that not only will you give them the respect they deserve, but that you want theirs too.
Resolve conflicts quickly
As mentioned above, human errors can and will happen. However, how you handle it will make a difference. When conflicts like this arise, it’s important to resolve them quickly. And, there are lots of different ways you can do that too like offering money off their next purchase with you or going out of your way to find out how, why and what went wrong.
While there will be some customers that you’ll never be able to please, lots of people are often understanding if you show you’re working to provide the best products and services possible.
Give them something for nothing
Finally, everyone loves freebies. It doesn’t matter if you’re struggling to make ends meet or well off, a freebie is a freebie at the end of the day. So, why not give your customers exactly that? It doesn’t have to be bank breaking either, but again, giving them something for nothing shows that you care about your customers’ needs.
Things like coupons for money off, free merchandise, or even free consultations before committing to buying anything can really go a long way in building trust with your customers. And, when people receive great service and considerate freebies, they will naturally spread the word by telling their friends and family. It’s a win-win!
