What B2Bs Can Learn from B2Cs

Successful B2Cs have taken deliberate action to show their customers respect and to bring them relevant products or services that develop trust between the business and consumer. While different businesses work to develop exemplary interactions that are key to building trust with their customers, there is no reason that B2Bs can’t use the same examples to capture the attention of clients and grow trust.

There are five keys to developing trust with clients that you can tailor to your business.

  1. Practice what you preach.

If your business is focused on security and privacy you need a leader who will publicly advocate for legislation that supports industry developments. If your business is creating quality software and UX, yours should be seamless. Let your clients know how serious you are about your business by being an advocate of your business.

  1. Make your interactions personal.

Follow up on all your interactions with clients, positive and negative. Pay attention to the details. Is it your clients’ anniversary? Send them an email. Has something happened in the world that could mean they require more of your resources, reach out first? Knowing your clients and develop a relationship.

  1. Make use of AI.

To respond to your clients in a meaningful and more immediate way, use AI tools that can track clients, converse with them and generate metrics that support your interactions. AI can help you to personalise recommendations without using precious human resources, which increases your productivity.

  1. Real interactions matter.

Companies that open themselves to their customers keep their customers coming back. Make your client support accessible, and remove limits. If your clients feel confident that they can talk with real support without time pressures, they will feel connected with your business. Creating and updating databases of these interactions also means that clients are met with exceptional service each time and neither you or they are wasting time going over old ground. It will build confidence and trust between you and your clients.

  1. Simplify.

Your website, your service and your resources should be made easy to find and use. If your clients find your service simple (although it might be complex) they will appreciate that you took the time to save their time. Business transactions should always respect time, and by simplifying processes and implementing SOPs for your employees, you are empowering your business and developing loyalty with clients.

All these strategies are deliberate actions. B2Cs use some or all of these keys to building relationships with customers. B2Bs that are looking to create valuable partnerships with their clients can use these same keys to generate trust and improve their bottom line and longevity.