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Understanding And Building Relationships With B2B Customers
By Chrissy Gariepy
Expert Author
Article Date: 2011-10-19
According to Stephanie Edwards, writer for MyCustomer.com, no matter what your job may be, interaction with customers is inevitable. To her, the word customer applies to more than just the "end-user." In a business-to-business environment, customers are categorized in three ways: external versus internal customers, intermediaries versus end-users, and valuable versus not-so-valuable customers. In order for a business to be successful, it must recognize the importance of customer service, both internal and external.
External Versus Internal Customers
It is probably obvious what is meant by the term "external customer." This is the individual, or group of individuals, who receive, and usually pay for, a product or service. Internal customers, on the other hand, are part of the organization. They are customers of the services provided to them by other members of the organization, such as Human Resources. Many large organizations now adopt what is known as the Internal Service Rule, which holds that the level of external customer service will never surpass the level of internal customer service.
Intermediaries Versus End-Users or Consumers
In the past, it was not uncommon for a product or service provider to avoid dealing directly with end-users through the use of intermediaries such as wholesalers or distributors. However, this has begun to change. Thanks to the advancement of technology, direct-to-customer operations have become much more common. Organizations are seizing the opportunity to cut costs by cutting out the intermediaries, developing direct relationships with end-user customers.
Valuable and Not-So-Valuable Customers
Commercial organizations tend to offer better service to high value customers, those who can create the most value for the organization due to increased spending over time. These customers are loyal to the brand and are generally seen to provide positive word-of-mouth advertising to the peers. Even these customers, however, have found the following problems with customer service
- Broken promises (failure to return phone calls or emails)
- Delayed response times
- Remoteness of human contact
- Reluctance to listen or empathize with customer
- Processes that are not customer-focused
- Reluctance to welcome and act on complaints
Edwards has five recommendations for how a business might change that.
1.) There is a need for increased professionalism in those that work in the B2B world.
2.) Confidentiality in B2B customer relationships often comes down to issues of trust, openness and honesty. Work in a style that is open, honest and direct.
3.) Ensure that you fully consider your end-users.
4.) To meet and exceed the expectations of your customers, you need to be familiar with your customer service framework. Ensure that you deliver the promises offered.
5.) Make sure your communication channels are clear. Communication needs to be both frequent and consistent.
As far as Edwards can tell, "customer obsession" is "the single most important factor in business success and the best route to gaining competitive advantage." By focusing resources and time on customer expectations and maintaining customer loyalty for all kinds of customers, any organization can remain successful in today's competitive environment.
Source: customerserviceglobal.com
About the Author:
Chrissy is a staff writer for the iEntry Network.
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