The world of online reviews and social media callouts has made it more important for companies to focus on client experience. Overpromising and underdelivering for the wrong client can lead to a startup losing out on other clients. Certain industries are very connected and companies reach out to partners to ask about working with a specific startup. The last thing any company wants to do is to contract out a large project only to miss a deadline for one of its customers. The following will cover how to create the best client experience possible.
It All Starts with the Sales Process
The sales process sets the tone for the entire experience that a client has. A pushy salesperson might leave a client still looking at other options due to being rubbed the wrong way. A lead that a staff member brought in needs to be treated carefully. The contact should be involved in the sales call as it provides a sense of familiarity. These are the sales that can help keep a startup going during the slower times of the year like around the holidays for many marketing companies. Client questionnaires can be a great tool to utilize to identify pain points a client has. The right website design is also imperative as this is the first impression a number of clients will have of a startup. Following current web design trends is essential in order to maximize conversions through the creation of an easy to use website for clients.
Clear Communication
Communication with clients needs to be as clear as possible. Recap emails after phone calls or meetings should be sent as a record of what occurred. Using great communication within the organization is also imperative through the right CRM platform. For international clients, it is important to make sure everything is extremely clear and nothing is lost in translation. Doing training with employees when they are newly hired to deal with clients in the appropriate way is a necessity. Correct training is imperative in a smooth transition whether you are selling home service business websites or overall digital marketing services.
Set Expectations in a Realistic Manner
One aspect that startups need to be aware of when it comes to growth is doing this carefully. Growing at insane rates can result in certain departments fallings behind due to a lack of a scalable plan. If doing marketing or website maintenance for an FMH Conveyors website the goal should be to keep the site up at all times. Managed IT services are often sourced out due to the fact that staffing an entire IT department in-house is extremely expensive. Let your potential client understand what quality of products or services they will be receiving. Grossly overhyping the services can lead to a lost client due to their expectations being far too high.
Educate the Client When Possible
A client that is educated on the services being provided to them can be a delight to work with. Clueless clients often try to inject buzzwords from a random article they read on the topic. Educated clients understand what they are paying for while it can be difficult to prove the value of the work being done to a client uneducated on the benefits of working together. Setting up pieces of training or webinars for the clients that are options can be a perfect place to answer questions or show how to manage certain processes in a company platform. Companies that are contracting out their work to the startup will likely understand the intricacies of the value you are providing.
Loyalty Discounts
Clients want to feel like they are valued and offering discounts for future contracts can do just that. Understanding how to work with a client on pricing when upselling is essential. A client that is great to work with and never has problems paying on time getting a discount can improve the retention of these types of clients. A client that is constantly complaining, harassing staff, and always has an excuse for late payment shouldn’t get this discount. The hard truth is that difficult clients can pay a similar rate as reasonable clients although they often pay similar rates for vastly different amounts of work.
Startups that build a brand based on providing the customer with the ultimate experience can see healthy growth over time. Losing this focus can lead to clients going elsewhere or start looking at their other options. Happy clients rarely look to shop around if they have found a reliable startup to work with long-term.