We recently conducted interviews with BAYiQ shops to see what drives their success and how important connecting with people really is. We asked one shop manager if he could share one tip with newer shop owners, what would it be? He takes a second to think about it, but quickly and matter-of-factly responded, “If I could give one tip it'd be that you need to connect with people. Today, you need to be connected through systems like social media or rewards programs. If you're not, you're losing them. "
It’s critical to your auto and tire business’ success to really work on connecting with people, and most importantly, your customers.
Avoid acting like a robot going through the motions, and instead build meaningful relationships with your customers as humans. People buy from people that they can relate to and who they like. If you skip over that personal connection, you’re running the risk of losing that customer to your competition.
“Connecting with your customers on an emotional level is important because if you do, they will be 300% more likely to recommend you. Or better yet, they will be 44% less likely to shop around, and they will be 33% less sensitive when it comes to your price.” (Quicksprout)
Connecting with people involves building relationships and keeping them strong so customers are with you for the long haul. There are lots of ways to really connect with customers, but how do you know which are most effective? Follow these quick and easy solutions for you and your team.
Connecting with People – No Robots Allowed
Make Them Feel Important
Worried about connecting with people? Think about the experience you’re offering. When you give customers the feeling that they’re important to you, you form connections and build brand loyalty. Engage with your customers! Regularly use their name, ask about their kids, what do they like to do on the weekends. Make them feel like a priority and not just another hand with a wallet walking through your door.
Be Real, Be Human
Creating connections and customer satisfaction means being genuine. Customers know how to filter out anything that they think is untrustworthy or fake. Avoid this by being as authentic as you can possibly be—that there dealing with an actual human being behind it all. For example, if something goes wrong on your end, recognize the mistake and connect with them on an emotional level. Show empathy. If they’re stressed, recognize that. You know how you want someone to talk to you if they made a mistake for a service or product you spent money on. Speak to the customer the exact same way you’d want someone to speak to you!
Connect By Listening
There’s nothing more aggravating than feeling like you’re being ignored in a conversation. It’s way too common for someone to ask a question without listening to the response and instead starting to think of your own response while the other person is still speaking. Focus on listening and make sure you can do it really really well. Listen to the customer’s concerns and adapt your next step to their specific needs.
Always personalize the solution for them. When you listen better to your customers, you’ll create a personalized experience for them and will be able to come up with a better solution for their issues then if you weren’t listening at all.
Ensuring your team is connecting with people will step up your business and boost your bottom line. So, stop being a robot and start connecting with your customers today!
Engage Your Customers & Boost Your Bottom Line With BAYiQ
See a behind-the-scene look into the BAYiQ software and results in our quick 5-minute demo. Gain a better understanding of how our programs work and how easy it is to implement in your business today and start seeing results in no time!
