3 Ways for Small Businesses to Improve Customer Relations

Elena Velikova

May 22, 2018

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It shouldn’t come as a surprise to any business owner, but every company needs to develop a strong relationship with its customer base. Not only is this essential for bringing in new clientele, but it also goes a long way toward retaining customers. However, since virtually every entrepreneur understands this already, standing out in a crowded field can often be difficult for new or small businesses. To make an impression with your customers, you really do have to go above and beyond. Fortunately, here are three simple ways you can do just that:

Start Local

Most small businesses need to conquer their own backyard first before they can think about expanding their operation. Indeed, many B2C companies lack the personnel, finances, or amenities needed to service customers in other areas. Restaurants, and local retailers in particular need to establish a foothold in their neighborhood first, which is why it’s important to make local customers a priority. Winning them over to your side is the first step toward creating a viable business model.

Interact on Social Media

The truth is, a ton of customer-business interaction never occurs in an office or workspace. Rather, it happens online across a variety of social media platforms. If you’re not active on your company’s social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, etc. then you need to get active ASAP. What’s more, it’s critical that whoever manages your social media page engages with your customers regularly. If a customer comments on a post and asks a question or voices a concern, make sure you respond to them in a timely fashion. Otherwise, you could risk alienating a solid lead.

Invest in Communication

As outlined above, some small businesses rely on foot traffic and local support to get off the ground. Others need to dominate online channels, SEO, and social media to win customers over. Still, many businesses offer services that are best discussed over-the-phone, and as such, require a highly effective and dependable phone system. One of the most irritating things customers can experience is being put on hold, or losing connection completely with a company representative. And it’s not guaranteed they’ll call back if they have a less-than-stellar phone interaction with one of your staff. That’s why it’s important for businesses that interact with customers over-the-phone frequently to invest in a top-of-the-line telecommunications system. Installing hosted VoIP for law firms, healthcare facilities, domestic repair companies, or any business that regularly fields phone calls from customers will ensure that you eliminate the many technical issues that plague landline users. Don’t roll the dice on shoddy tech when it comes to customer relations –– give your business every advantage possible.