Clients are the most important part of our business structure, without them, business won’t survive or thrive. Quite often, we’re taught to base our customer relations on “never say no” or “say it with a smile”, often presenting ourselves as disingenuous or generic. According to a survey done on study.com, with times changing many potential clients value quick, knowledgeable service with good after-sales support. The times of long, drawn out in-person conversations with the intent of convincing a client to buy your product or use your service now being long in the past, due to the increasing prevalence of online marketing and online communication. How then, can we effectively communicate with our clients in a genuine way that remains relevant to the immediate needs of clients today?
Avoid business jargon where possible.
Although professional sounding, excessive use of business jargon should exclusively be kept between colleagues and team members. Studies show that clients who are exposed to business jargon they don’t understand have higher chances of misinterpreting the actual message being conveyed. This can lead to frustration and a partial sense of inadequacy, giving clients a sense of passive arrogance coming from the representative. Keeping it light and short, using jargon in understandable, meaningful ways will help diminish the chances of misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
Be human and try to relate.
Empathy and active listening are two traits that form part of an effective, open communication strategy. Being able to actively listen to the client’s concerns without invalidating them will aid in creating relevant solutions objectively, and may contribute not only to the up-selling of different services and products that will service their needs, but the ability to form meaningful working relationships with clients. This strategy may also include taking careful note of your body language when in-person and using relatable language when communicating online. The use of relatable words such as “thank you, sorry, please” could be furthered by phrasing them out such as “I am thankful”, “thank you kindly” “I do apologise”.
Take note of inclusive language.
It is known that the use of phrases such as “you did not” “you should have” may feel like a passive attack on a client for miscommunication and misinterpretation. Simply explaining the concept specifically and clearly is a better strategy in avoiding these situations, and opting for inclusive language that is significantly less personal and negative could diminish the chances of the client feeling “attacked” when situations like these do arise. Inclusive language could include phrases with the words “we, our, us” to remove the personal aspects of “you, your”. Language such as “Please take note of the following” or “Thank you for raising these concerns, here are a few possible solutions” can also be used and aids in better after-sales client support and less conflict.
Simply ask.
Sometimes, miscommunication can come from the client’s side, and trying to decipher what is said without clarifying clearly what is needed can lead to frustration. Asking clients politely to reiterate should be a part of an effective communication strategy, while taking care of the language used when asking for clarity. Getting clients to understand the purpose of clear communication will aid in better working relationships.
We would like to know what you think. Take part in our survey below.
Mind the Gap Solutions offers short courses that goes over these points and more to implement into our professional lives for career advancement. Sign up here for a calendar on our short course events. See our website here for a look at the comprehensive services we offer South African businesses.
Mind The Gap Solutions 