How to Stay Ahead of the Competition: Step Up Your Client Relations Game

Next to real estate and location, what is arguably the most critical aspect of our industry is client relations and customer service. We know that in our competitive markets, our special brand of ALLIANCE customer relations can be a deal maker and keep clients coming back for more and referring new ones.

This issue of Training Focus discusses guidelines for treating clients the right way, so that they keep coming back to you for services and keep referring your NETWORK center.

Keep Your Ideal Team Informed

We've discussed the importance of hiring the right people from the beginning. Make sure your team members have excellent service attitudes. Through your interview process, determine whether candidates are people who genuinely enjoy serving others. You want team members whose spirit of service is a distinct quality in their personality. These kinds of team players will help make your center successful.

Once you have your ALLIANCE center's ideal team, make sure to regularly inform them about what's going on in your company. Your staff needs to know about new product and service offerings, availability and launch dates, any physical changes happening in your offices, new branches being added, and so on. The more your team knows, the better they can serve your valued clients.

Right Your Wrongs

You already and know how to deal with difficult clients, and dealing with normal clients who have complaints can be one way to assert your excellent customer service skills. Make it easy for your clients to find you when they have questions, resolve their complaints quickly and completely, answer all email and phone calls within a few hours, and your clients will clearly see that you care about them. Admit and apologize quickly for any mistakes made by your team, and make it up to your clients in significant and meaningful ways.

Raise the Bar

Give your employees bonuses or incentives to practice excellent customer service, and create a continually increasing standard for excellence among your team. Coach your employees to recognize that each client has different concerns, needs, and wants, and empower your team to be flexible with each individual client.

Give your clients more than they expect. You can do this by recognizing long-time clients with thank you gifts, sending greeting cards on holidays or birthdays, and offering bonuses to your clients who use your center's services repeatedly and give you extra business. You can even set up a point system, and reward clients points for every dollar they spend using services offered at your offices or referring people to your center's virtual and traditional office offerings.

Make It an Experience

The greatest thing to remember at your ALLIANCE center is to make your clients' time with you an experience. Coach your staff to ask themselves, "How can I make the client's experience better?" Maybe it can be something as small as calling each tenant by name when you see them. Exceed clients' expectations just a little with your team's attitude to serve and please, and you will create a memorable and compelling experience. Keep your clients in mind when making decisions and think about whether they would like the changes you're considering making and how new offerings or procedures would affect them. Continue to push yourself and your team and keep asking yourselves how you can improve your NETWORK center and add value for your clients.

Don't ever let an untrained employee have contact with a client. Your team members represent you, your company, and your ALLIANCE brand. Working with clients is the most important thing your team members will do, so empower them by giving them the right training and coaching that will allow them to serve your clients with excellence.

ALLIANCE Academy Is Here for You

Your managers and NETWORK centers now have the unique opportunity to earn credentials and certification with ALLIANCE Academy. The ALLIANCE Academy is the only global institution that provides credentialing and center certification programs for all levels of team members. Through ALLIANCE Academy's intensive programs, your team and center will benefit from training and knowledge that sets the worldwide standard. Our revolutionary training and credentialing system will keep you ahead of the latest trends and changing technology. ALLIANCE Academy is the definitive institution for members of the OBC industry. Get the training and coaching your center needs to stay on top!

If you want to get in touch with the Executive Director of ALLIANCE Academy to see what credentialing can do for you, please contact Susan Smith by email at smith@abcn.com or by phone at +1 678 641 4467 or +1 800 869 9595. She is also available in the UK this week at +44 0 7942 391597.