Communication with customers is hugely important. From giving an impression of your business to getting referrals and repeat customers, if you don’t communicate well your business will suffer.
Style
Friendly or Cheery
Friendly or cheery communication is a great way to give your customers an impression of being part of your community. By keeping your tone light and addressing your customers informally you bring them into the family. Support friendly communication with newsletters and social media posts that give an insight into your business and the personalities who work there. Friendly communication is best suited to less formal communication methods like telephone or chat.
Businesslike or Professional
Businesslike or professional communication is the way to demonstrate a more corporate business. It’s great if you want to seem solid, dependable and have an air of authority. Support businesslike communications with newsletters and social media posts that give straightforward information on your field and business. Businesslike communication suits all communication methods, although it’s a little more suitable for more traditional communication methods.
Platform
Telephone
Any style of communication can be used on the phone. It’s also one of the best ways to build rapport with a customer. Telephone communication is the preferred communication method for many people and so should be a communication method you offer.
Email communication is a great way to communicate and allows customers to contact you and reply at their convenience. It’s ideal for sharing instructions or details and creates a paper trail which can be useful if problems occur further down the track. The only possible problem is that it can be a little more tricky for any communication that requires nuance. If you’re not good with words you can easily give the wrong impression so think carefully about what you want to say.
Social media
Social media offers most of the benefits of email, although clients do tend to expect a quick response, so it does need ot be monitored consistently during business hours, and even a little longer if possible. As most social media communications are public, it’s also a great way to advertise your business. Great communication will attract people to your business. Of course, the opposite applies too, if your communication skills aren’t good and your responses are rude or difficult to understand it will drive customers away.
Other
Other options like SMS, Chat, Messaging Services etc are all great for a younger, more tech savvy customer base. By all means offer them, particularly if being on trend is important to your business. However unless you know your customers well and are sure they are happy to use these methods, make sure you have some more traditional contact methods.
Lastly, regardless of the style or platform you use, don’t forget to be polite. It doesn’t take a lot of address someone in an email. If you’re asking for someone to provide something, say please. If someone has offered, or given you something, say thanks. And always sign off communciations so your customers know who they’re talking to.
Communication with customers doesn’t have to be difficult. Just use the right tone and platform for your ideal customer. When you get it right, it is a selling point that helps grow your business
