Today, if you ask an entrepreneur one thing that is required in starting and growing a business, the popular response will be capital. There is no doubt that capital is fundamental to the success of any business, however the business climate is evolving from transactions to relationships. Thus, generating and increasing trust is essential in sustaining growth.
Trust is a hidden capital most businesses do not pay attention to, whereas it is valuable in growing the bottom line and will see you through the difficult times in your business. On the other hand, a lack of trust in you and your business can kill your business in its infancy.
No one can tell you exactly where trust originates or how it develops. The trust process is incomprehensible. You can’t fake it. You can’t go through the motions or pay it lip service. Trust in a business speaks volumes on how a company services and communicates with its customers. In business interactions, customers can intuitively feel when you can or cannot be trusted.
When considering if a company should be called trustworthy, customers are looking for the following:
1. First Impression
First impression matters. A customer has expectations that a company’s product will satisfy their need to purchase it. Therefore, their first approach is to test the waters if indeed your product or service will provide such satisfaction. If it does not, they will walk away. Therefore, do not promise what your product or service cannot do. If you are selling a product with lower quality than the original, do not pass it off as the original. Do not sell a low quality product at the same price as an original one. Do not include hidden charges and fees. Your customers will always find out and you would have effectively ruined any return purchase or recommendation. In essence, ensure product or service integrity.
2. Competency
The more significant a purchase is to a buyer, the more consciously he seeks a trustworthy seller or provider.
One of the things that can quickly destroy trust in your business is lack of competency in the service you are rendering. Do you do what you say? If customers cannot trust what you say or the service you render, they will not patronize you. A dry-cleaning service that does not launder or iron clothes properly will not grow. Also, a laptop repair shop will only get anger and frustration from its customers if the laptops he repairs keep breaking down. Therefore, if you must be in business, ensure that you know how to provide the service you are selling or at least hire someone who does.
3. Work Experience
We know why there is a term in the labour market called ‘Number of Years of Work Experience’. This is because it cannot be over-emphasized. Customers would always relive their past experience with your business for future transaction, the same way a recruiter would scrutinize a candidate’s work experience. Their experience when leaving your business premises must leave no doubt in their mind that your business is where they should go to in the future. If your customers cannot think that about your business, you need to start requesting for feedback to understand their reasons. You also need to start building trust in your business because this means that they cannot trust your business to deliver value in the future based on past experience.
4. Customer Value
To value your customer is to deliver on your promise and acknowledge where you have fallen short.
If you promised the moon, deliver it along with a handful of stars. You want to shine in your customer’s eyes. Every time you follow through on a commitment, small or large, you build trust. And if you go above and beyond, you make an even stronger impression. So, if you say you are going to email prices to your customer today, it should be sitting in their inbox before their close of business (not yours).
In addition, do not to hide or cover up your errors. Address the issue directly, apologize and explain how you will handle it and if possible, share what steps are being taken to prevent the errors from occurring in the future.
5. External Relationship
Staying up to date and compliant with all federal, state and local rules required to keep your business in good standing is essential. Failure to meet the necessary requirements like taxes, pension, insurance etc. can cost you loss of good will. Customers, lenders, potential business partners and investors will check your company’s credit reports. What is your attitude to your financial obligations? Positive credit affords businesses better relationships with partners, vendors, trade sources and the community at large. Do not renege on agreement with vendors or partners.
The first step in your approach to trust-based marketing will be forcing yourself away from rational, logical thought about why your customers would or should trust you. Instead, if you know how they really process you and your business and what forms the basis of their trust you’ll find yourself holding a new key to growing your business.
CTA – One of the things that can quickly destroy trust in your business is lack of competency in the service you are rendering.