If you are a manager or entrepreneur in an organization that has a team of salespeople to serve your customer base, then it is recommended that you read this article, as it will help you understand the importance of managing customer relationships..
In my marketing and sales conferences I commonly ask the following question:
To whom do the clients of a company belong, to the seller that serves them or to the company that hires them?
The common response of sellers is that customers belong to them since they are the ones who day to day maintain communication with their customers and know their needs. In turn, the common response from managers and entrepreneurs is that customers belong to the company because it is the company that hires the vendors and supplies the related products or services. My comment to this is that customers are loyal to those who perceive that they are the ones who solve their problems, satisfying their wants and needs.
Now, if it is the seller who does it, then it is very likely that if the seller resigns and goes to a competing company, the customer will follow him and buy from that company so that said seller continues to serve him (unless their products have exclusivity and are not sold in said company). On the other hand, if the client really perceives that beyond the seller, it is the company that solves his problems and satisfies his wishes and needs, then he will remain faithful to it, regardless of whether the seller goes to another company.
The key of the matter is to be perceived as those who provide the added value to the client through an excellent relationship with it, knowing what they like or dislike, what they need and how this affects them, what they want and who is willing to give to get it.
Unfortunately, for many companies, customers become records in the administrative system database where they are kept: company name (company name), tax data (RIF), and balances paid or payable; without taking into account that behind said data there are human beings who need and want to be well cared for and maintain a relationship with their suppliers that guarantees the desired success and continuity in their growth.
The problem for many managers and entrepreneurs is that they do not have the time to visit customers and therefore leave this task to their salespeople, however, as customer relationships are not properly documented, they lose "business intelligence" obtained from working face-to-face with clients.
In general, salespeople write down what they think is most important to their customer relationships in an agenda or notebook, thus helping them for future visits or calls to customers. The problem is that this does not remain in the company when the seller stops working in the company, or becomes ill, or goes on vacation, etc.
In order to adequately document customer relationships so that the entire organization can know their status from anywhere in the world, there are technological platforms to support what is known as Customer Relations Management (or CRM for Customer Relationships Management). This is a culture that requires adequate methodology and training for the entire company and in particular the sales team, and is part of what is known as Relational Marketing (relationship-based marketing).
The use of the CRM methodology together with the appropriate technology through the Internet allows to achieve a better automation of the work of the sales team as well as increase customer loyalty.
The question would then be: And why build customer loyalty?
A loyal customer tends to buy exclusively from a company. You are more likely to buy new products developed by the company you know and trust. A satisfied customer is the best source of communication and advertising banner for a company's products. Caring for a loyal customer will result in reduced costs, because the better the customer is known, the less money and effort must be invested to satisfy their needs. A loyal customer is less sensitive to price increases, because they have the feeling that they receive added value. Loyal customers are a source of information for new product development and service improvements.
However, achieving customer loyalty requires perseverance and dedication in the proper management of relationships. The idea is that thanks to the culture and methodology of CRM, together with the use of the technological platform through the Internet, you and your sales team should be able to convert a Prospect into a Potential Client, a Potential Client into a Buying Customer, a Buying Customer in a Recurring Customer, a Recurring Customer in a Loyal Customer and a Loyal Customer in a Promoter Customer (Fanatic of their Products and Services).
Have you ever wondered what is more expensive, getting new customers or keeping existing customers?. It is definitely more expensive to get new customers because you have to invest in advertising, marketing, travel, meetings, visits, presentation of offers, among many other promotional activities. However, maintaining existing clients only requires investing in proper relationship management and meeting the commitments made.
On the other hand, have you asked yourself what is more expensive, getting new clients or winning back lost clients? In this case, it is definitely much more expensive to win back lost customers, and this is because when you lose a customer, you will no longer be able to win them back with the same arguments of the original sale, because that customer will no longer believe you, since you did not succeed. meet their expectations or was not consistent with the commitments made.
A satisfied customer says it to 3 other customers of his (current or potential) while a dissatisfied customer says it to 10 other customers, with which, not only did he lose that customer but those who now have the referred perception that your products and / or services are not satisfactory.
Finally, if you are one of those who have not yet automated their sales force with a suitable methodology and technology based on relational marketing and CRM, then we recommend that you start doing so, as this will bring you significant benefits in the long run.
Success for all…
