Importance of communication in B2B relations
Among the main advantages in a B2B (Business to Business) negotiation are the possibility of making sales with average ticket, frequency and volume much higher than in businesses focused on the B2C (Business to Customer) segment. However, high demands result in a generally more demanding customer, a more complex sales process and the need to maintain a medium to long term relationship with the customer.
According to author Philip Kotler, getting a new customer can be up to 7 times more expensive than keeping a current customer, so there is no doubt that establishing yourself as a regular supplier is much more advantageous for your business financially. After all, in addition to offering a quality product or service, the company must in fact be indispensable, and the basic secret for the success of every business is the good relationship of the company with its customer.
Clear communication and good service generate engagement with the brand and are the first step towards winning satisfied and loyal customers. Designating a person or team (depending on the size of the customer portfolio) or establishing an after-sales process allows, in addition to bringing the brand closer to the consumer, retaining customers and measuring the quality of the service provided.
How to establish an effective communication process with your B2B customer
When analyzing the strategies adopted by your company, do you also include a careful analysis of your customer portfolio? In your business plan, is there a clear definition of who your customers really are, what their consumption habits, how often do they hire your service and what image do they have of your company?
If the answer to all these questions is no, then it is time to adopt new communication strategies and reevaluate the way your company has positioned itself in the market. We brought in this content some ways to improve the communication process of your company with the consumer and maintain a portfolio of satisfied and loyal customers.
Keep customer service channels available
It is essential that every company keeps open service channels available so that the customer can contact in case of need. Whether it’s just a simple question, complaints regarding the quality of service, or even praise and suggestions, the customer must know that he will receive full attention from the service team.
Every product or service is carefully developed with the aim of meeting the customer’s needs, and who better to describe what the needs are than the customer himself?
Dissatisfied customers always represent a financial loss for the company, but in relation to the B2B segment this loss can be much greater. A simple way to visualize a company’s financial losses, with the departure of a regular customer, is to multiply the average revenue generated by that customer by the ideal length of stay. The result is really disheartening.
Consumer behavior surveys also indicate that dissatisfied customers not only leave the company, but also become detractors of the brand to other potential customers. So imagine that, in addition to losing the revenue generated by that customer, the company will also fail to profit from the acquisition of new customers.
A survey conducted by Accenture shows that about 86% of customers terminate their contract or avoid negotiating again with a company because they feel they have been underserved. This means that listening to the customer and maintaining a good service channel reduces financial loss and turns your customers into promoters of your brand, in other way, they indicate your brand to other companies that are likely to become new customers.
Solve your customer’s problem
When a customer reports any type of problem to the company, this attitude demonstrates that the customer expects the company to be responsible for the loss and provide viable resolutions. For this reason, it is not enough to just provide service channels, but the company must make itself available to assist the customer in each resolution step and make it clear that in fact it is concerned with customer satisfaction.
In this way, the client will recognize its importance and value for the company, understand that both companies work together with the same objective and that they will develop a solid trust in the brand. The company must be a partner of its customers.
Maintain active and transparent communication with B2B customers
Be in frequent contact with your customer and keep them informed about all stages of service provision / production and product delivery. Take advantage of the open communication channel to collect feedbacks and constantly assess the level of satisfaction in relation to all areas of your company.
In addition to showing concern and commitment, it is also a great opportunity to make new internal sales and increase the revenue of your business without the additional cost of acquiring new customers.
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