smart sessions building ongoing business relationships +44 (0) 1926 859 060 helping the client to...

SMART Sessions

Building Ongoing Business Relationshipswww.goodfoot.co.uk+44 (0) 1926 859 060

helping the client to come back to us

Building Ongoing Business Relationships

SMART Sessions


style

fast paced overview hints and tips slides on-line short exercises discussions

SMART Sessions


topics

Understanding client politics

Key elements for ongoing service

How to deal with disagreements

Keeping the client: continual added value

SMART Sessions


Understanding Client Politics

SMART Sessions


politics

Client politics rules their decisions Work out the political ambitions of the

key stakeholders Figure out ways to help them with their

political ambition Keep & regularly review a register of

stakeholders, their personality type and their political ambition

Political Ambitions:

•status•security•power•collaboration•expertise

SMART Sessions


roles within the client

Decision Maker Decision Influencer Knowledge Expert Pressure Group

a Client Communication Plan will target all relevant groups to give themthe information they need to carry out their role

SMART Sessions


Key Elements for Ongoing Service

SMART Sessions


elements of excellent service

logic emotionculture

relations

imagedelivery

product

SMART Sessions


left brain issues

culture

relations

imagedelivery

product

SMART Sessions


product and delivery

What is our product? Do we provide what the customer wants? Are our products easy to understand? Do we deliver

on time? complete products?

Do customers know when on-time is? Is it easy to get from order to delivery? Do we deliver the product they need when we

said we would?

SMART Sessions


right brain issues

culture

relations

imagedelivery

product

SMART Sessions


relationship and image

Who knows who? Do they like us? What stories circulate about us? Where do they get information about us? What information would we like them to have? Who do we need to know? What is our Exposure / Communication plan?

SMART Sessions


How to Deal with Disagreements

SMART Sessions


difficult conversations

use this method if the customer is upset and is being EMOTIONAL

Listen Empathise Apologise Action Follow Up

SMART Sessions


Keeping the Client

SMART Sessions


the PIE effect

60

10

30

performanceimage

exposure

SMART Sessions


some examples

1. Insurance Broker: direct correlation between length of phone calls and sales

2. Marketing Services Agency: doubled size of 2 main accounts in 2 years by switching all meetings to clients’ offices

3. Construction company: bid success rate correlated to pre-bid consultancy time

4. Public Relations Company: created largest piece of business by employing someone to network

SMART Sessions


communication

Communication Plans should include:

•review meetings•client satisfaction surveys•product announcements•new team member introductions•innovation / added value contribution

the biggest complaint of customers is ‘poor communication’

by this, they don’t mean they want more transmission of information.

they means they want to be listened to and understood

SMART Sessions


50 excuses for contact31. I have some documentation on the latest trends in the market, would you be

interested?32. Would you like me to arrange a visit to our offices so you can meet the team?33. Another of our clients was asking me about xyz so I thought I’d ask your views34. We’d like to send birthday cards to each of your team members this year

would that be OK?35. We are holding a fun competition to see how much our clients know about us,

would you be interested?36. I am passing by next week, fancy a coffee?37. There is this great show in London, I know you are an xyz enthusiast, would

you like to go?38. We are canvassing clients to see if they would be interested in a corporate

event in (motorsport, golf etc), would you be interested?39. We would like to produce a quarterly newsletter for your segment of industry,

would that be useful for you?40. We hope to run a focus group in the next 3 months about our service levels,

would you be interested in attending?41. Several of our customers are getting together to talk to us about the way they

see the next few years panning out, would you like to attend?42. We would like to introduce you to other areas of the business, I know you

personally are very busy, who do you suggest I talk to?43. We want to develop our product range and wondered if you had any views44. We are looking for a partner to co-run an event45. We want to produce an introductory CD for our graduates about your industry

sector46. I am producing a set of case studies would you be prepared to be one of them?47. I read this fantastic book and thought of you48. I understand you are into xyz hobby and I wondered if I could pick your brains49. Do you know anyone in your team who is into xyz or has been to abc, I would

love to pick their brains50. I would like to arrange a bowling / xyz competition between my team and your

team, are you up for it?

1. I read this news item and thought of you2. I have this joke for you3. I received this email funny and thought of you4. I wanted you to know what happened to so and so in the office5. There’s a program on TV you might be interested in6. I attended a conference and wanted to send you this booklet7. I have this web site url for you8. Could I ask you for your advice9. Could I ask you for a reference10. Could you give me some personal help11. I have some ideas on products / service improvement12. I wondered if I could ask you some questions on another part of your company13. I know someone who wants to work in your industry and wondered if you had any

views on job prospects14. I have some research that has been done with another client15. Could you recommend a guest speaker16. We are having a Christmas meal17. Would you like to come to the theatre18. We are holding some free briefings19. I wondered if I could chat with you about our performance20. We are happy to let your grads come to our office21. I wondered about your views on our complaint handling22. I have some financing options which I wondered whether I could discuss with you23. I am offering free toolkit, e.g. risk mgmt strategy24. Can we use u as a case study I was just reading xyz and I thought of you25. We are conducting a survey and I wondered if I could quickly ask you ….26. I’d like to improve our communication with you, could I just pick your brains?27. I have some information on the industry which may be useful, should I send it to

you or another member of the team?28. We are holding an event for clients, are you interested? 29. I’d like to do more forward planning for you, could we meet and discuss?30. We are developing a range of support literature to help you in your presentations

to the board, could we meet and discuss?

SMART Sessions


keeping the customer: ongoing innovation

typical ranking criteria are cost £, cost people, time, permanence, perception, quick hit, extra problems generated & maintenance

produce development plan

prioritise ideas for action

assess ideas based on chosen criteria

document customer's main aspirations

generate a high volume of non-critiqued ideas

choose innovation intervention point

make sure you prioritise quick hits and remember Pareto 80/20

if you don’t know, have you asked?

use creativity techniques

SMART Sessions


Building Ongoing Business Relationships

Thank You

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smart sessions building ongoing business relationships +44 (0) 1926 859 060 helping the client to...

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