“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all.”—Michael Le Boeuf
As many as 87% of customers feel that brands can do more to provide quality customer service, leaving no doubt that this is an area every business needs to focus on. And when it comes to a staple customer need like money management, there’s an endless list of ways that customers may need help and support.
You can tell a lot about a company by the way it approaches customer relations—and customers know this all too well. If your business handles accounting in any way, developing an expansive, smooth-functioning relations system is key to success.
Join us as we take a closer look at some accounting tips for improving customer relationships, as well as rehashing why this component of business management is so important.
6 Accounting Tips For Enhancing Customer Relations
Customer relations are the methods and practices companies use to engage with their client base. In many ways, it’s like the face of your company.
When customers need help or clarity on something, that face needs to be smiling, ready to assist, and fully equipped with all the right solutions. Accounting, in particular, is an important customer need to consider when developing a healthy customer relations strategy.
Naturally, people can get protective over their money and want to feel as though it is being handled with the utmost care, safety, and transparency.
So if you think your customer relations system could be lacking, look no further. These six tips are designed to elevate your communication approach and make accounting a smoother, faster, and more accessible topic to broach with your clients.
1. Be transparent and up-front about fees
If you are looking for a fast way to make a customer angry, hit them with fees they didn’t know existed. Nobody likes being blindsided by hidden costs, and your customers are no exception.
Being transparent about current and upcoming fees you may need to charge will not only prevent customer outrage (which is obviously not good for business), but also helps to facilitate a stronger bond of trust and loyalty with your client base.
2. Train staff to be preemptive problem solvers
When customers reach out for help with bookkeeping or payment processes, chances are they’re looking for fast, effective results. If you fail to meet those expectations, you could wind up dealing with the fallout that affects your bottom line and hurts your relations reputation.
But there’s a simple way to avoid this: Train your staff well in the art of problem-solving. They should be prepared for every potential disaster scenario so that when it eventually comes knocking, they are fully equipped to handle it seamlessly and professionally.
Before being placed in customer relations, all staff members should undergo a robust training program that gives them access to the right tools and language for handling problems like a pro.
3. Be available 24/7
It’s a big ask if you’re a small company, but setting up a customer support shift system is well worth the effort.
Customers who call at ungodly hours for help with a transaction aren’t doing it for fun; they’re doing it because they urgently need support. And if you aren’t able to supply it at that moment, it could cost you their business.
If your business can afford to schedule employees to work shifts ensuring support is available 24/7, you can give customers the help they need in a much more effective way. If this isn’t a possibility, integrating a customer service bot on your website can help to answer basic questions in real-time.
4. Ask for feedback – and be willing to listen
Sometimes, the flaws in your own system are difficult to recognize. But that’s exactly why you need external input and feedback, especially from the people who invest in your business.
Asking for feedback is a sign of health in any organization. It shows a true desire for improvement and collaboration. But it’s also something that many customers value.
Asking customers for their perspective on your customer relations system can give you insights into necessary improvements you had no idea was even being noticed.
5. Take responsibility for mistakes
As a business, refusing to take responsibility for the inevitable slip-ups that happen along the way is one of the worst things you can do for a customer relationship. If you’re more worried about how to calculate profit margin than how to right a wrong, that may be costly upfront but will pay off long term, you need to rethink your approach.
Holding yourself accountable for mistakes might seem like admitting weakness, but it actually helps customers to empathize more with your situation. It also shows business integrity. If the problem at hand is your fault, accept it, apologize, and provide a solution.
6. Use CRM software to improve communications
Managing the ups and downs of customer relations in accounting can be a wild ride. But you can streamline operations by utilizing Customer Relations Management (CRM) software.
CRM software helps your business keep track of client communications, to-do’s, task lists, calendars, signatures, and more, all in one centralized program.
Tracking your interactions via a software platform like this gives you more control over communication and allows you to provide customers with faster, more comprehensive, and more consistent support.
Why Are Customer Relationships So Important?
When you have a solid customer relations system, it has a domino effect on all other aspects of a business. Good customer communication and support mean increased loyalty, higher conversions, word-of-mouth marketing, and more.
There is a multitude of ways in which a quality customer relations strategy benefits both your customers and your business, such as:
- Improves customer loyalty
- Promotes customer recommendations and referrals
- Increases profits
- Heightens conversion rates
- Fortifies public image
- Better customer reviews
- Remain competitive in your industry
Ultimately, the way your business approaches customer relationships gives customers a clearer idea of how much you value them individually, and what kind of effort you are willing to put in to make their experience with you great. So show them!
Conclusion
There are many areas of a business that you should invest in. However, at the end of the day, customer relations are one of the most important. By providing your customers with easy, thorough, friendly customer support, they can navigate everything from accounting to delivery with peak-level ease and satisfaction.
