Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Your Clients

In the world of business, it costs a lot more to get a new client than it does to keep hold of an existing one. Still, many companies don’t do enough to make their existing clients feel more welcome. If you are looking to change this, we are going to give you just a few of the ways that you can do so in this article. And, in fact, many of the things that you should be doing are not all that challenging and just require one or two simple changes and adjustments.

Smile in Person and on the Phone

A smile goes a long way in business. Even if you are not feeling especially upbeat on that day, you should still try to greet clients with enthusiasm and a personal touch. This plays a big part in putting them in a good mood straight away. Even if you are talking to them on the phone, people can still hear if you are smiling or not. Your positive energy is being transmitted across to your clients and they are likely to be much more receptive to what you have to say.

Sort Out Your Office

First impressions count, and this is certainly the case when clients visit your office for the first time. To start off with, you should ensure that the reception area is attractive and neat – check out office cleaning services if you need a helping hand with this. The publications in your office also make a big impression. If they are today’s newspapers, you business looks cutting-edge. If they are dog-eared copies of magazines that are two years old, it doesn’t! Little touches like fresh snacks and calming music in the waiting area can make all the difference.

Take a Genuine Interest in Your Clients

Knowing the little things about your clients can go a long way towards making them feel special and encouraging them to return to your business. Find out the names of their family members. Enquire about their hobbies and interests. It is these little touches which won’t go unnoticed.

Eliminate Distractions

When you are meeting with your clients, you should make a special effort to eliminate as many distractions as possible. When you go into the meeting room, ask not to be disturbed. Switch your phone onto silent so this doesn’t cause any distractions. Ultimately, you should make the client feel like they are your number one concern.

Keep Communicating

Beyond the meetings that you have with your clients, you should ensure that you are communicating with them on a regular basis. Open up a number of different channels of communication so clients can decide how they would like to get in touch. Reply to all emails in a timely fashion and address customers by name. Go above and beyond what they are asking for.

Making your clients feel welcome is an integral way of keeping them coming back to your company time after time. These are just a few of the ways that you can do this.


5 Comments

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    Sam

    April 22, 2018

    Could not have put this better myself. You’ve just touched on a pet hate of mine – retail staff who are rude and miserable. Yes, I know we all have our bad days but when you’re being paid to perform a front of house role is it too much to ask for a smile?

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      Louisa

      April 22, 2018

      I second that pet hate Sam and add another – clients who interrupt your conversation to check their phone.

      Reply
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    Will

    April 23, 2018

    The phone issue grates with me every time. I wouldn’t dream of doing this during a meeting, but several colleagues and even managers see it as entirely reasonable.

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      Louisa

      April 24, 2018

      Exactly Will – I have never referred to my mobile during a client meeting, it’s the ultimate sin, but one or two of my clients see no problem with checking text messages or even answering a call mid-conversation!

      Reply
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    Daniela Bucatele

    April 24, 2018

    Wow – some strong emotions on this subject and yes, of course, you’re all right. Treat other as you wish to be treated springs to mind, and personally no, I would not refer to my phone during a client meeting either!

    Reply

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