You’ve probably heard of the Silly Circle of Customer Service, which is a circle that you need to navigate when you’re dealing with customers. The first circle is the one where you listen, and the second circle is where you talk.
When you’re selling to B2B customers, it’s important to understand what your customers want and how they think. And then you need to deliver it. But sometimes, you don’t agree with the way a B2B customer wants something done. You may have a great product and the best customer service in the world, but if your customer doesn’t agree with your approach or doesn’t like the way you communicate with them, there are going to be problems.
Here are four tips on how to avoid arguments with your customers:
- Be clear about expectations from the outset
If you’ve made a commitment to provide something by a certain date, then stick to it. Don’t let them down on the delivery date or let them believe that you will deliver something in the future without providing any details as to when this might be possible or even whether there will be any delivery at all!
Be open with them about what they’re getting when they buy from you. If they’re expecting something different from what they signed up for at the outset, then explain why this is happening by explaining the process behind it and what impact this has on their overall experience with the product or service being offered.
The right type of security seals from Hoefon can make all the difference in how your customers feel about their purchase, since it shows whether a shipment is tampered or not. One piece of advice, therefore, is to seal products with bolt seals, cable seals, nylon seals, and plastic seals.
Bolt seals are a great way to add a layer of security to container and trailer transport as they cannot be removed by hand. ISO 17712:2013 certified high security seals are also accepted by most customs around the world.
Cable seals are another great option for transports. They offer flexibility and are also available as certified high security seals.
Plastic seals are often used as indicative seals. They offer visible evidence if tampered. This will avoid unnecessary discussions with your customers.
- Be honest and transparent
If the customer has legitimate concerns or objections, don’t just brush them aside like dirt — acknowledge them and address them head-on. You’ll create better relationships with customers who trust that you won’t lie about things like pricing, features and benefits in order to close deals faster or collect money upfront (because then they won’t have time for negotiation). If you want to win an argument with your customer, then let them win. Do whatever makes the other person feel good about themselves and their position in the world (within reason).
Don’t assume that your customer knows what you mean. If you don’t say it, they won’t know what you’re talking about.
- Be prepared for objections
Don’t be surprised if your potential customer has some questions or objections regarding your proposal or proposal documents. This may include questions related to pricing structure, delivery time frame or any other issues that require careful consideration before signing off on your proposal document. You can always try to win an argument, but if you do, then it will be a long and painful process for both parties involved.
- Don’t talk at the customer
Listen to what your customers have to say and find out why they are upset with your product or service. If you are able to do this, then you will be able to address their concerns in a way that does not cause more problems than it fixes. If you’re in a sales call with a customer, don’t argue with them. If they ask why you’re calling, don’t say something like “we need to talk about what we can do to make this work.” Instead, say something like “I understand that you’re frustrated by the lack of results and I’d like to help you find a way forward.”
When dealing with customers, especially those who are unhappy with their purchase, you need to be proactive in asking how you can help them before they ask for something from you! This means speaking up before the situation gets out of control and causing unnecessary issues for both sides of the equation. Don’t lie about your products or services; always tell the truth about what happened when something went wrong or if there was an issue with shipping or billing etc.