Certificates

There is the well-known maxim in sales stating that if a merchant aims at selling larger quantities and at being more successful, especially in the long run, they should put particular emphasis on the relations with their customers. What exactly does the phrase "customer relations" mean?

Developing and maintaining good relations with customers does not mean only to treat them politely, to serve them with a smile or answer their various questions responsibly. Of course, these things are important, but there are a lot of other important attitudes and actions that should be considered.

Harlan Goerger has described the six dimensions of good customer relations. These six dimensions are a great starting point in building a strategy for a meeting or telephone conversation with a potential new client.

1. Trust
Trust is the first important element of good customer relations. If there is no trust between the seller and the buyer, trading between them is impossible, especially in the long run.
Trust is something that every trader should pay attention to. If you work in sales, ask yourself how much you trust your customers, how trustworthy your presentation is and how focused it is on the customer’s problems and needs, how relevant the questions you have prepared to ask the customer are (you prepare your questions in advance, right?), how credible your responses to customer disputes are (you have specific techniques for convincingly dealing with disputes, right?)

Trust is a matter of sincere interest in the client's problems, as well as of good preparation. Merchants who are not interested in customer problems do not inspire confidence. Untrained merchants do not inspire confidence.
Of course, it is preferable that trust is mutual, not one-way. Ideally, we will trust our customer and they will trust us, our promises, arguments, guarantees. This is a guarantee of a good relationship.

2. Respect
Respect is a "window" to fruitful relationships. Respect means that during negotiations and sales the customer is perceived as an equal partner with their own needs that we have to understand and satisfy, and not as someone to be deceived out of their money.

Respect is also good to be reciprocal. Ideally, we will respect the customer (we don't have to love them in order to respect them, right?), and the customer will respect us - the merchants. This is a prerequisite for a good relationship.

3. Value
We come to the concept of "value" - so important for any successful sale. Are we able to add enough value to the offer we make to the customer? Do they understand what we are telling them and do they appreciate the value we provide to them? Do they appreciate the extras they receive from us, the special offers, the little (and big) gestures of goodwill? And vice versa - is the price the customer pays worth the effort we put in and is it fair in relation to everything the customer will receive from us? What else, except the price (money), do we receive from the customer which is important and useful for us as merchants (experience, references, advertising, etc.)
Value is an extremely important concept in sales and whoever understands this concept well will sell more and more successfully in the long run. However, value, as well as the previous two elements - trust and respect - should be mutual in order to ensure that our relations with the customer are on par.

4. Open communication

The fourth component of a good relationship with the customer is the sincere and open communication with them.
Does our communication with the customers lead to getting to know one another, to building trust, to a better understanding of needs and viewpoints? In our communication with the customer, do we ask enough questions, are we interested in the ways in which we can add value to our standard offer and leave the customer with the feeling that we are there for them to help them be more and more successful? Do we look for active communication with the customer?
Open communication between a merchant and a customer is a prerequisite for the good relations between the two parties. Conversely, if there is a lack of openness in their relations and communication, it will be difficult to consider it a fruitful relationship.

5. Constructive conflicts
When we talk about conflicts, we mean "constructive" and not "destructive" (for example, interpersonal) conflict. In a managerial context, for example, a constructive conflict is a confrontation that intensifies and enhances work results, and the absence of constructive conflicts means stagnation and lack of advancement.
In the context of sales, constructive conflicts mean that the merchant is not afraid to confront their customer in principle, for example, when they want to protect the qualities of their product, their terms and conditions of trading, or their price. The good relationship between the seller and the buyer is the result of good mutual understanding, i.e. of open communication and trust. However, openness and trust can hardly exist if we avoid constructive conflicts at all costs (i.e. the clash of different points of view).
Instead of avoiding constructive conflicts with our customers, it is better to learn how to deal with them appropriately. Employing approaches such as persuading, justifying the value we provide and dealing with disputes is essential in such situations. Once the conflict is resolved, we will get out of it with a better relationship with the client.

6. Accountability
Accountability means that the customer and the merchant keep their word and, in case something unforeseen or unfavourable occurs, (for example, poor quality of goods / service; delay in delivery; delay in payment, etc.) the defaulting party will assume their responsibility and compensate the other with concrete actions.
Liability is usually something that is provisioned by a contract, but apart from that formal regulation, accountability in sales is related to open communication, respect, value, and trust. A merchant’s irresponsible actions and deeds show that they simply did not respect the other party enough, did not even consider adding real value and did not communicate openly and honestly with their customer at all times. In such cases, it is difficult to talk about good relations with the customer.

In brief, the six elements of good customer relations include:

Trust
Respect
Value
Open communication
Constructive conflicts
Accountability

For any merchant, these six elements are an excellent starting point for developing a strategy for  conducting a meeting or a telephone conversation with a potential new customer, as well as for a longer-term customer service program. We just need to keep in mind the six elements and make sure we act (from the first to the final moment) in such a way as to leave our customer with the feeling that we offer them maximum value, that we respect them, that we know our job and that they can trust us. They have to know that, if necessary, we will even argue with them in order to show them the best ways they can benefit from cooperating with us and that we are responsible for our promises and keep our word.