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There are a few secrets of great client service and if you get these right you’ll grow your income exponentially.
But what’s the pay-off of great client service?
Very happy clients who feel listened to and loved will:
...Buy more
...Buy more often
...Happily refer you
...And much more!
So what are the secrets to great client service?
As Gandhi once said, "A client is the most important visitor on our premises and he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so."
Secret 1 - Client service is a perception
Client service, like a brand, is what the client perceives and remembers of the service they received.
What a client perceives is not always necessarily the actual level of service they receive.
Several published studies reveal that the mood of the client has a significant impact on the perception of the service received.
As a broker, how happy will a client be if you turn up late for an appointment, not matter the excuse? They may have arranged the entire evening around this time...dinner, kids to bed, organising lunches for the next day – how happy do you think they’ll be if kept waiting?
And when you tell them you’ll have loan information ready for them by lunch tomorrow do you think they’ll believe it?
Secret 2 – Smile 
A warm, genuine smile puts clients at ease, we can see the smile; it’s tangible. It’s catchy, too. When someone smiles at you, your natural tendency is to smile back, feeling a little better.
We can hear smiles as well. Not only does our expression change when we smile, but our voice changes, too. The inflection is different and we can easily pass on a smile even through the phone.
The result?
The potential client feels good, relaxed and more comfortable. You might guarantee a sale just by using a smile. You might not, too, but you won’t lose any business, either. You’ll also keep your good reputation, and you may be considered a potential business to work with in the future.
A smile also begins to build a connection with them. It can also help you maintain a positive attitude when you interact with clients
Secret 3 - See things from a client’s perspective
A major element of delivering good client service requires you to understand what they need and want. The million dollar question is then, “how do you know what your client’s need and want?”
Clients love to feel involved, important and taken seriously. They like to feel their opinion and wants matter to the you, so…when wondering how to figure out what they want or need, simply ask them.
You can do this one on one, in a group; send out questionnaires in the mail, emails and more.
- Ask your client to explain the problem fully.
- Ask them if they have any suggestions that may help.
- Avoid vague answers; try to dig deep without being too intrusive. Be specific.
Secret 4 - Go the Extra Mile
Once you’ve met the client’s basic needs, what could you do to show that you are committed to providing the best service possible? In other words, what can we do to raise the bar and surpass their expectation?
Try some of these simple tips:
- Be available when they need you – this includes being easily accessible
- Remember what they purchased – 5 year fixed loan, 50/50 split
- Keep your promises, follow up when you say you will
- Demonstrate you want to fulfil their needs
- Keep them informed – send a newsletter, educate them
- Remember someone’s name and use it frequently in conversation
- Learn their likes and dislikes
- Remember their names, but also the names of people important to them – kids, parents etc.
- Contact your them regularly – call, email, post, sms
- Put their needs high on your priority list
- Be organised and thorough
- Return their calls promptly
Secret 5 – Be yourself
This is the most important secret to great client service – be yourself, don’t try to be something or someone that you’re not because they’ll spot it a mile away.
Don’t try to be their best friend the moment you pick up the phone or walk in their door. Definitely show empathy and develop a strong rapport with them but do this at the right speed.
If you listen to their needs, provide them with good information & advice, keep your promises and stay in touch then you’ll not only gain more clients but you’ll have them for life and they tell all their friends about you.
You’re there to help them, having someone as a client is a privilege not a right – never forget that!
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