There’s a big difference between speaking with a customer in-person and communicating with them via email or even a video conference. Both methods can be effective, although online communication can also result in difficult circumstances.
Face-to-face meetings allow you to personalize your business and convince clients that they’re in good hands.
However, it isn’t easy to establish trust with someone only over the internet with remote businesses.
You can retain clients on board and reduce company losses by employing some excellent practices in long-distance communication.
Long-distance trust can be created in a variety of ways, and in this article, we’ll guide you through tips on how to build trust with clients in a remote working setup-
Establish Which Methods of Communication You and the Client Prefers:
There are various ways to connect online these days. When it comes to which channels are the most accessible and easy to use, everybody has their favorites.
It’s vital to go out to your clients and inquire how they like to interact while switching to remote work. Clients who meet with you on a routine basis, for example, may prefer to arrange video calls from their place.
Consider asking prospective clients about their preferred mode of communication throughout the onboarding process. To make things go more smoothly, provide consumers with a selection of alternatives depending on the resources you currently have, like- Video calls, Email, or other Messaging platforms.
A great and free method to use is by sharing presentations via youtube videos. Youtube has become a popular platform used to market and advertise products and services and you can use this platform to communicate with your clients.
For better retention on your videos you can add transcripts that will aid your clients to follow along. Youtube video transcription is an effective way to build trust with clients remotely. Transcribing videos allows clients to view a text version of the video content, making it easier for them to consume and understand the message.
Additionally, transcribing videos allows clients to review the content more quickly, which can help build trust and loyalty. Moreover, transcription can help improve SEO and reach more potential viewers, increasing visibility and trust. Overall, using video transcription to build trust with clients remotely is an effective and efficient way to reach more viewers.
Make A Communication Plan And Stick To It:
Have you ever been in any of these situations?
- Whether your fault or not, ever your client complained about not being informed about the status of their projects?
- Ever you waded deep into a project where you don’t know who to contact in case of an emergency?
- Do you ever find yourself “winging it” on big projects, hopping from pillar to pillar to figure out what to do next?
Creating an effective & solid client communication plan is crucial to stay on track. A solid client communication plan not only keep your clients happy & satisfied but also help you stay on top of projects. When discussing your client’s preferred communication methods, you can effortlessly discuss contact frequency and format. Ensure that the discussed plan is shared with your team, so there are no missed conversations between your team and clients.
You can avoid being professional about sharing the plan. This pre-defined communication plan can proactivity lends itself kindly to good relationship building if it is an onset of a new relationship.
Set Specific Delivery Deadlines:
Meeting your clients’ delivery deadlines is one of the most critical things you can do to win and keep their confidence. If a client believes a project is taking a bit longer than it should, they may opt not to collaborate with you again.
You must learn how to manage customer expectations if you want to continue in business. In our experience, the most accessible approach to achieve this is to inform them precisely what you’ll provide and when.
If you’re creating a website for a customer, for example, you may divide the project into phases that lead up to the launch. Set a deadline for each action point, and update your clients about your progress regularly.
You could even give your project management software access to your clients so they can track their progress at each stage.
Conclusion
Don’t allow distance to get in the way of your client interactions. Working with clients from all over the country (and the world) might be difficult initially, but it is not so in the long run. Your long-distance client connections may develop to be just as great as your local ones with a bit of organization, effort, and the correct methods in place. With each passing year, more of the business, including client communication, is moving online. There is no reason why you can’t perform high-quality work and maintain excellent client relationships remotely if you have the necessary tools and follow the best business practices.
If you want to get more help or have any questions regarding building trust with clients in a remote working setup, get in touch with Seahawk team to get the best tips for dealing with remote client relationships.
