How to always keep effective lines of communication open with your clients.
Having poor communication is never a good thing, but when it comes to clients, that lack of communication can be a disaster. You never want to find yourself thinking one thing, while your client is thinking something else, because it’s probably not going to end well when you both figure out what’s going on. You may think you know exactly what effective communication looks like, but that doesn’t mean your clients share your feelings. At BOX, we know how tough it can be to stay on top of all your clients and their needs, so check out some of these helpful tips for making sure you aren’t zigging while your clients are zagging.
Pick Up The Phone
Email is great when you need to get a point across or ask a not-so-urgent question, but it’s not as effective when it comes to having a conversation with a dynamic back and forth. And without a person’s tone or inflection, you can run into misunderstandings or sudden silences that aren’t good at all for your relationship. Picking up the phone is still the easiest way to quickly solve a problem or misunderstanding between you and client.
Keep Them In The Loop
Providing your client with regular updates and news is a great way to keep the lines of communication open. Don’t wait until there’s a problem to get in contact with them, but instead take opportunities to let them know about what’s going on in the energy industry, or a new service they may want to look at. It’s better to have a solid rapport established if any problem should arise.
And if there’s important information that they should know, make sure that you’re the first person they hear it from. It will put their mind at ease and show that you’re staying on top of their needs.
Keep It Simple
Your clients are smart people, but that doesn’t mean they need to wade through paragraphs of jargon and technical wording. People are a lot happier when they have a concept placed in front of them in plain English. And when they understand everything you’re saying, that means there’s less chance for a misunderstanding that could hurt your relationship. Simplicity is key when you want effective communication.
Learn Their Language
There isn’t one single best way to communicate with everyone. Some clients may like to get right down to business; others may like to chat a bit for getting serious. Learning your clients’ preferences and “language” will help them feel more comfortable with you, and communication flourishes when you and your client are comfortable with each other.
Good communication is essential for any business relationship. At BOX, we’re all about helping energy brokers connect with clients, and giving them the tools they need to keep those clients happy. So contact us today if you’d like to hear more about how Brokerage Online Exchange can help your energy broker business.
