As a business leader when was the last time you asked your clients for feedback on how you’re going? What they’re happy with? Unhappy with? Where you could improve?
Be honest. This is just between you and me and I won’t tell anyone.
When working with leaders, we encourage them to ask these questions. (Watch the video or read the transcript below)
Transcript
As a business leader when was the last time you asked your clients for feedback on how you’re going? What they’re happy with? Unhappy with? Where you could improve?
Be honest. This is just between you and me and I won’t tell anyone.
My name’s Rashid Kotwal.
When working with leaders, we encourage them to ask these questions.
Why do you buy from us? What results do you get working with us? And how could we improve?
Doing so fulfils two purposes.
First, it gives you real feedback on how you’re going. Whether your value proposition still stacks up.
You may find your clients value something you’ve never thought of or that you thought wasn’t important. If you find a pattern, add these reasons to your marketing material.
Be completely non defensive and non judgemental and ask for the truth. Your clients will tell you what’s gone wrong, what it’ll take to fix and how you could improve moving forward.
That alone could save your business.
The second is clients always feel valued and appreciate that you’ve had the guts to ask them for their advice which goes a long way to cement a positive relationship.
Lastly, take the opportunity to delve into other areas you could help. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your clients know everything you do or could do for them.
Here’s a case in point that would make you cry if it happened to you.
A colleague recounted how he’d been printing stationery for a business for over 20 years. Delivering some he noticed a pile of material sitting in the corner. Stuff he could have produced. When he asked the business why they hadn’t given him the order, they said they’d had no idea he could have done the job.
Now wait for it, the order was worth a cool $500,000.
So get on the front foot. Call your clients on a regular basis and talk to them. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.
Till next time, this is Rashid Kotwal.
