No matter what we try to achieve in life, it’s never in doubt that our greatest successes are, almost without exception, thanks to great communication during some or most of the process. Equally, our most spectacular failures are quite often due to a more calamitous approach to communication. It follows that if we want successful outcomes from our dealings with our customers then we need make sure we are communicating as effectively as possible. In business, it’s crucial that we prioritize good communication in order to maximize the effectiveness and profitability of our customer relationships. In this article we’ll take a look at a few of the ways in which you can develop better communication with your customers.

Fill your team with empaths

Peter Drucker said: “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” Good listeners are like gold dust and are imperative to your customer communication improvement drive. Empaths are great at not just listening to customers and engaging with them in a meaningful way; they can truly show that they understand the customer’s needs and solve their problems accordingly. Empaths understand that information is about giving out, but communication is about getting through. You may already have some naturally gifted communicators on board; invest in them with some additional communications training, such as the type offered by the Corporate Coach Group, for example, and maximize the effectiveness of your existing workforce.

Source the best communication platforms for your business

Times are changing fast so your choice in whether you use DIY or managed SD WAN is extremely important, as well as any other decision you make in relation to the technology you use to communicate in your business. The technology that we leverage to communicate with our customers is evolving all the time. Quite often we find ourselves saving time and money by replacing human customer service reps with automated AI bots. Whilst that technology is admittedly getting better all the time, there is still the danger of over-employing the conveyor belt mentality and leaving potential customers feeling undervalued. Always invest in the most effective communication platforms depending on your business type and customer profile. Typically, the best option is to consider how your customers like to communicate. What do they find easy to use? What are they comfortable with? Use that to inform your communication platform choices.

Ramp up the listening skills in your business

If your customer feels like they are being heard, they will not only feel valued, respected, and more inclined to buy from you, but they will also become a great source of feedback, which will help you to hone your customer relationship strategies. Don’t be afraid to ask your customers what they think of your product, your service, your approach, and your style. More importantly, listen to what they have to say so that you can learn from them and improve the services that you offer. Actively listening not only improves your communication with your customers, but it also allows you to anticipate any potential issues or mis-steps before they occur. In the Art of War, Sun Tzu said: “If you know the enemy and you know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Not that your customers are your enemy, of course, but if you plan ahead, you will have greater success.

Improving communications with your customers is crucial to the lifetime value of your business relationships with them, so it’s very important that you invest the time and money in developing that side of your business.