Good communication is essential to good customer relations. Technology has provided us with a number of different methods of communicating with our customers. The first and most obvious is talking in person. When that is not possible, there is telephone, cell phones, pagers, email, voice mail, snail mail and fax. There could be new forms of communication in the near future, with the rapid pace that technology is increasing lately.

Some people like to talk almost on a daily basis. Some customers may want to chat about their business, their hobbies, or family. Other customers may be interested in chatting about news or even the weather. These are the customers that like to have constant communication, especially if they are very social people.

Some customers prefer to get all the pertinent information about what is happening with your business or in regards to them as a customer. However, they only want it as a detailed report sent to them or some other way that doesn’t involve chit chat. These are the very busy people. They want to remain your customer and know that they are being taken care of, but they don’t have the time or desire to chat about other things.

Some customers like even less communication, but these are rare. The key is to find out what type of customers you have, how much communication they want, and then give them exactly what they want. This helps in establishing the relationship. Remember that customers may get pertinent information in the mail, but still call you asking about it. There could be several reasons for this. They may have just glanced at the letter and then tossed it out. Or, they may need more information to clarify what you were trying to communicate. Always give the customer the benefit of the doubt, and don’t be annoyed when they ask more questions. The patience that you employ here will definitely pay off in the long run.

When using a phone system, remember that the client or customer on the line is more important than the one who is interrupting you with a phone call. If your organization has only one person to answer phones, make sure that you have an automated phone system which can take calls and record messages when you are tied up on the phone. Many people will verify that as a customer, the biggest turn-off can be when someone puts them on hold to answer more incoming calls. A simple answering message that reassures the customer’s call is important to you will do just fine. Do not use a never-ending loop of put-offs and holds, as some businesses do.

Lethbridge SEO suggests that you have a firm policy in place for returning phone messages. Make each person feel like they are your #1 most important customer. Their needs are your highest priority. Online requests are just as important, and should be handled in a timely and courteous manner. The professionals at Lethbridge SEO recommend that you use excellent communication skills to build relationships with your clients. Remember in all you do, to exceed your customer’s expectations. That is the key to good communication skills.