We’ve all read the estimates on how much more expensive it is to find new clients than it is to nurture and retain existing ones. One of the most important ways to retain clients is to view an honest understanding of their interactions with your company. What are the different touch points and how well does your company act and react at all those points along the way?
In the old days directors and management saw “Client Relations” as the affair of a ‘Complaints Department,’ whilst they got on and ran the business. This was a form of warfare carried out against the irritating habits of clients seeking fair treatment – a fair deal or equality of relationship.
Salespeople often saw clients as an unruly, disobliging and dishonest source of commission.
Support staff accepted that they were paid to (try to) cope (on a good day) with unreasonable, whining, stupid, ungrateful clients who just wouldn’t be told.
Administrators saw clients as dunces who must be forced to follow the rigid procedures developed for the convenience of the supplier (an endless nuisance to the customer).
Technical people often saw clients as stick-in-the-mud know nothings to be loftily put in their place by the use of elitist techno-jargon.
Production people ignored clients entirely, because otherwise they would get in the way of how they want to run the place.
Finance people treated clients not as people, but as reference numbers with obligations required to fit processes.
Unkind comments? Not at your place? Great! But anti-attitudes like this abounded all over the commercial spectrum.
Today, “Client Experience” is one phrase that sets top-performing organizations apart from the pack. This is because outstanding commercial results depend on the ability to think from the customer’s point of view, while understanding the customer’s agenda, buying cycle and best interests.
The Sandler Research Center is a unique partnership with Sandler Training and Top Sales World to deliver tangible value and make a difference in the fast-changing world of sales. The Sandler Research Center’s current survey explores “The Client Experience.”
It is our view that beyond a superficial reading of immediate client needs, the very best companies gain a deeper understanding of both the buyer’s long-term goals and the overall business climate.
This perspective has assisted us in creating five critical areas for our research:
- The Client Journey
- Identifying “Critical Moments”
- Benchmarking for Client Satisfaction
- Engaging the Team
- Sustaining Symbiotic Value
In summary, we would say this: Client experience is set to become one of the most important issues facing businesses in every market. It’s value? It increases spend and loyalty, reduces cost, promotes your company through positive word-of-mouth, differentiates you from your competition, and can justify charging premium prices for your products and services.
We invite you to participate in this survey, “The Client Experience.”
In return for your participation, we will provide an exclusive early copy of our summary report, followed by the full and comprehensive version, shortly afterwards containing not only the survey results but also our thoughts, observations and recommendations.
Thank you again for your time – you should need no more than ten minutes to answer the questions.
Click here to explore the Research Center Library for additional resources.
