It's an interesting question.
PCE found themselves needing to ponder this recently. We had neglected our most important client. The impact was dramatic. The realisation that was had taken them for granted was shattering.
We had lost the connection to our most important clients:
- current state of affairs
- mood
- concerns
- dreams
- level of satisfaction
We had not checked in.
And it forced us to ask the question how many of us, financial services professionals have really looked after our most important client, or is that client subsidising the time we spend on everything and everyone else.
From a financial planning and risk perspective are we really certain that our most important client has in place:
- well defined and executed succession planning both personal and business
- has a map of financial and personal milestones and we are up to date with the progression as well as actively planning for the next checkpoint on that map
- that the safety net of insurances is presently well structured and offering the best coverages with features suited to what is actually important for the nuances that the client possesses
- that we have and continue to engage our client on an emotional dynamic in that we are aware of how simply they are feeling about life, about daily issues, about the dreams long terms and more immediate for example the next twelve months
- and have we taken the time to plan out what those dreams actually are, how they will be fulfilled and what the plan is to work towards them
Simply : have we sat down and engaged, truly engaged our most important client, ticked of the basics and continued the journey.
PCE would argue that as we get caught up in the daily routine, as we battle with FOFA, FOFA implementation and the volume of information and work in our day that we do not deliver to our most important client anywhere close to what is desirable.
And the evidence is all around PCE when we visit advisers.
The most important clients do not have:
- buy sell agreements in place
- inadequate contingency plans for family in the event of business interruption
- other risk management measures adequately catered for
- balance between work and home
- a set plan for the year
- any set goals for the family that are being actively worked upon
- a set time that has been put aside to articulate how they are progressing on life goals : personally, family, business
And here's the worst part.
Exactly who is your most important client?
It's you. And it's your family.
Thursday 20 June 2013
Tuesday 4 June 2013
The Golden Goose of Client Engagement : endless source of riches
So, we assume we have your attention or at least tapped into something that you assume you want?
The holy grail of customer engagement, that provides endless streams of customers, happy customers, into your business, talking positively about your business, referring people to your business and even defending your business against the rare detractor.
No need to campaign, to advertise, to form referral relationships : because customers come to you. They seek you out.
Nirvana?
Careful what you wish for.
To do this you need to be prepared.....not for the endless stream of customers ....but you need to prepare yourself and your staff to be willing to do what it takes to truly engage customers.
Yes you say?
Ok, then here is the golden goose as our gift to you.
Trust.
Yes, as simple as that. Customers will beat a path to your door, do business with you and send the people in their networks to you if they trust you.
Simple. The way to deliver this comes and only comes if you are prepared to do the following:
1) Define what you do from not your perspective but from your potential customers perspective.
2) Ensure that all your staff understand and can articulate in a common language that definition.
3) Ensure you and all your staff can explain how you deliver what it is that you do. What is your process?
4) Expose your vision. Get this message out there via social networks and a web presence that has at its core the primary purpose of adding value to your target clients. This does not mean selling something (unless your target market is price driven and transactional).
5) Expose yourself. Who are you? Who are you really? Who are your staff? What are your broader values?
6) Engage you customers with methods that tap into and uncover their values, motivations hopes and dreams.
7) Collaborate with your customers. Engage them at every opportunity. Crowd source.
8) Establish and run networking and value add events that deliver on engaging customers with topics aligned to their values.
9) Reassure customers along their service journey with you.
10) Communicate constantly with your customers when you don't have anything to sell.
11) Make their day : practice random acts of thoughtfulness.
If you are prepared to do this and build and/or utilise the expertise and templates that can deliver and coach you to deliver on every one of these points then you will achieve in your customers mind the feeling that Scott McKain describes as "they just know me". That our friends is ....trust. And you will then have the golden goose delivering streams of happy and referring customers.
The holy grail of customer engagement, that provides endless streams of customers, happy customers, into your business, talking positively about your business, referring people to your business and even defending your business against the rare detractor.
No need to campaign, to advertise, to form referral relationships : because customers come to you. They seek you out.
Nirvana?
Careful what you wish for.
To do this you need to be prepared.....not for the endless stream of customers ....but you need to prepare yourself and your staff to be willing to do what it takes to truly engage customers.
Yes you say?
Ok, then here is the golden goose as our gift to you.
Trust.
Yes, as simple as that. Customers will beat a path to your door, do business with you and send the people in their networks to you if they trust you.
Simple. The way to deliver this comes and only comes if you are prepared to do the following:
1) Define what you do from not your perspective but from your potential customers perspective.
2) Ensure that all your staff understand and can articulate in a common language that definition.
3) Ensure you and all your staff can explain how you deliver what it is that you do. What is your process?
4) Expose your vision. Get this message out there via social networks and a web presence that has at its core the primary purpose of adding value to your target clients. This does not mean selling something (unless your target market is price driven and transactional).
5) Expose yourself. Who are you? Who are you really? Who are your staff? What are your broader values?
6) Engage you customers with methods that tap into and uncover their values, motivations hopes and dreams.
7) Collaborate with your customers. Engage them at every opportunity. Crowd source.
8) Establish and run networking and value add events that deliver on engaging customers with topics aligned to their values.
9) Reassure customers along their service journey with you.
10) Communicate constantly with your customers when you don't have anything to sell.
11) Make their day : practice random acts of thoughtfulness.
If you are prepared to do this and build and/or utilise the expertise and templates that can deliver and coach you to deliver on every one of these points then you will achieve in your customers mind the feeling that Scott McKain describes as "they just know me". That our friends is ....trust. And you will then have the golden goose delivering streams of happy and referring customers.
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