Managing business relationships online

Your customers are talking. But if you’re not
listening, you may miss out on business
opportunities. Listening is one of the most
difficult skills in effective communication. In
building a great business relationship, it
plays a more active role in the conversation
process. It is even more difficult to pay close
attention to a person you can’t see face-to-
face as is the case in online relationship
management.
Relationship management is a two-way
street, which the Internet has made easier
and more complex at the same time. It is
easy in a sense that you can reach a
customer in real-time and instantaneously;
but more complex in that the barriers of
communication are higher – screens, poor
connectivity which can cause disruptions,
fear in confiding information to a stranger/
virtual person.
With these challenges, how then can you
manage business relationships online?
Perfect the art of listening
As previously stated, your customers are
talking, but decoding the hidden meaning in
a conversation can help you relate better
with a customer.
Several ways of listening to your customers
include checking up social media posts, blog
comments, direct messages, reactions and
comments to publicity campaigns, and
silence!
Understanding the needs and challenges of
your customers or leads can help you proffer
solutions that will facilitate trust.
Give due respect
Imagine talking to someone who completely
ignores you. Relationship management is
about conversing; it is a back and forth
rapport between two or more people.
When a customer sends a message, posts a
comment or tweets about something, the
rule of thumb is to acknowledge the effort
and if you don’t have a reply to the thread,
a simple ‘like’ or ‘adding to favourite’ will
suffice. This shows your customers that you
respect their opinion, and it will count in
your favour.
Provide contact details readily
Sometimes we visit a company’s online
page and spend minutes searching for a way
to reach the right contact or worse, we get
an automated voice or bounced email.
Providing your business’ contact details not
only showshow meticulous you are, it also
provides an open communication channel
between you and your customers. It also
cuts down the time taken for a potential
client to make the decision whether to do
business with you or not. A frustrated client
won’t be patient enough to unravel the
mystery you have created around reaching
you.
Double check phone numbers, email
addresses and website links. Provide them
readily on every platform your business
rents space.
Encourage contribution
Open-ended questions, replies to comments
and simple inquiries abouttrending events
are ways of encouraging contributions. You
can also ask for a feedback on a post to
engage with your customers.
For example, a company planning a launch
can post several examples of brand logos
for customers to decide on which best fits
the brand. The customers feel they are a
part of the company’s vision and this will
improve goodwill for your business.
Take complaints seriously
Two weeks ago, I made an order from an
online store and was dissatisfied with the
product when it was delivered. Though I tried
to reach the contacts given, no one ever got
back to me. You can imagine my current
opinion of the brand.
Sometimes, transactions don’t go smoothly,
but you’re lucky if you get a feedback from
a disgruntled customer. Some customers
may decide to take their dissatisfaction to
social media and complain about your
services. If a customer therefore tries to
reach you first before taking extreme
measures, it is wise to get back to the
customer and address whatever issues s/he
may have.
It doesn’t necessarily mean a return is in
order (it depends on what your return policy
states), but simply addressing the issues
and offering an apology can make the
difference in managing relationships online.
Take the relationship offline
Depending on the platform you use to
converse with customers/leads, taking the
conversation offline can create new
opportunities for service-oriented
businesses, especially brick and mortar
companies. By simply inviting a client for a
demo presentation or a meeting, you can
build trust and facilitate even better
relationships between your business and a
potential client.
Become better
The purpose of managing relationships
online is to ensure your customers are
happy with your service. Through nurturing
healthy business relationships you can get
valued recommendations that can influence
your business positively. Therefore, don’t
just manage relationships to get customers
patronising you more, also bear in mind that
you can build a better andstronger business
by relating with customers and leads.
Conclusion
Relationship management does not end with
a simple ‘hello’. Following up can make the
difference between an active and a dormant
business in managing relationships online.
The few points detailed above areby no
means exhaustive, but if you have another
to add, why not join the conversation online
on Twitter – @lexitonpr?
this comment was made by Ifesinachi
okpagu by daily news