It’s essential for businesses to keep your promises to ensure customers can trust that you will deliver. When you don’t, consumer bounce rates skyrocket, and leads and sales reduce dramatically. In a world where competition and market saturation are high, failing to follow through on a commitment you set – nobody forced you to do it – is suicidal.
Keeping a promise sounds simple, yet it isn’t as straightforward as it appears on paper. Often, unforeseen circumstances get in the way, but blaming it on your lack of organization isn’t an option. So, what are the courses of action available to entrepreneurs?
Stop Taking Ownership
Sometimes, it seems as if you have to take the bull by the horns because no-one else will. However, there are two pitfalls to this attitude. Firstly, no employee enjoys being micromanaged. Secondly, while proactive, your ownership is counterproductive when none of the company’s leaders is keeping tabs on everyone else’s promises. Suddenly, with several commitments to execute, you created a big hole and no amount of digging will get you out of it anytime soon. Therefore, it’s imperative to believe the structure and system in place, even if you think bureaucracy and politics are unproductive.
Watch Out For Contradictions
When one person tells a customer one thing, and another hits them with an entirely different “fact”, they become confused and don’t understand the most fundamental promises. As a result, you could find yourself in a position where crossed wires make shoppers believe you will provide a service you can’t, and they’ll get annoyed unnecessarily. Thankfully, a simple solution is to check for contradictions by mandating customer service training sessions. In a seminar, you can clarify what employees should tell consumers to ensure the message is clear and consistent.
Train Yourself
Understanding what you should and shouldn’t promise is a tough line to tow, particularly in unregulated industries. The energy sector is a prime example since people are sceptical of providers and need reassurances. However, if you don’t know what will put their mind at ease, it’s hard to give them the information they require. A certification for energy management professional is a fantastic club for energy companies as it meets and exceeds industry management standards. Therefore, you’ll always be one step ahead of what you can and can’t offer, allowing you to swerve the trap of promising a service you’ll never complete.
Forget “Common” Concerns
Focusing on common concerns is bad for business. It often leads to added value that doesn’t fix any of the pain points for the consumer. When this happens, all you do is impact your bottom line and potentially annoy employees. For instance, offering a discount to close a sale isn’t necessary if the price isn’t what scares the shopper. You’ll only leave money on the table while eating into your sales rep’s commission, ruining morale. Instead, it’s better to concentrate on making better promises based on shoppers’ problems.
Do you keep your promises? If you don’t, how can you be better moving forward?
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