Understanding the Importance of Customer Service, Building Relationships, and Buyer Types

November 14, 2013

The key to a happy client is excellent customer service. With the development of Internet sources, Blackberry technology, and other forms of what I call “quick communication tools,” in today’s business, it is understood how the country and businesses alike have gotten away from the personal touch of communicating with a human being.

With this being said, it is important to make your client and/or prospective client feel like they are the only client you have or serve. It is imperative to establish and build a relationship with them that makes them feel that nothing or no one will stand in the way of their goals and campaigns. The key factors in establishing such a relationship are:

• Promptly respond to any emails or phone calls that you may receive from your prospects.
• Be honest and true about any and everything. If you don’t know the answer, be sure to get the information back to them as soon as humanly possible.
• Give the client what they ask for. Simply put, give them exactly what they have requested. If they want info based on a four-book average, give them just that!
• Be sure to keep the customer in the loop regarding anything that affects them.
• Make sure your client understands that they are very important to you and that their needs are equally important to you as well.

It is important to build and maintain client relationships. Make sure that your clients look at you as the sustaining resource in your market. Showing the client that you care not only shows your integrity, it also reinforces that you know what the client needs, and that you have up-to-date knowledge of an ever-changing market. Everyone knows that in this industry, things could change quite rapidly. One day your station could be on top and the next day the competition could heat up and you are no longer the go-to station in the market. In short, it may come down to the relationships that you have built along the way as to whether or not you will continue to be included in future buys.

It is important to understand that buyers are people, too. Inside every individual, you will find a variety of unique and creative personalities. This is what makes the world we live in such a fascinating place. The key is to be able to navigate through the various personality types, whether it be family, friends, or media buyers. Overall, the goal is to get the buyer to say “yes” to you. In order for this to happen, you must make sure that the buyer in question is at least comfortable with you and the relationship that you have developed. Therefore, trust, respect, and confidence are key. It is necessary for radio sales professionals to be aware of all personality types, and to have the skills needed to be flexible enough to deal with all personality types.

-Nicole Somerville, Sales Research Consultant

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