Quality, product features and service are all key components of customer satisfaction. But none of those is the driving force in generating customer loyalty.
In fact, it’s your salespeople.
Consider: 80% of customers who switched suppliers were “satisfied” with their existing supplier at the time they moved their business, according to a survey by The Forum Corp.
Customers who felt their salesperson stood out from the pack were 10 to 15 times more likely to become repeat buyers, the survey concluded.
Delivering a distinctive experience
That kind of loyalty results when salespeople consistently deliver a distinctive customer experience. Here are five recommendations to share with your salespeople:
- Sell themselves, not just their product or service.
- Uncover the customer’s needs and priorities, then customize the sales approach to meet them.
- Go to lengths to convince prospects the relationship is just beginning, not ending with the sale.
- Follow up on delivery, trouble-shoot any problems and smooth over any issues that may arise.
- Regularly keep up with how the customer’s business may be changing.
