Servicing other businesses can significantly increase revenue and open the door to other opportunities. While every customer is an asset, the financial stakes are even higher when maintaining a relationship with professionals, companies, schools, and government agencies. These relationships can be demanding and complex since multiple individuals may be involved in the procurement process. These are valuable contacts, with each touchpoint being an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise in customer service.

• 95 percent of customers indicate good B2B customer service is essential to win their loyalty
• 75 percent of customers prefer to interact with a person rather than a chatbot

Make it easy to do business with your company
Businesses deal with complicated issues daily; interacting with their vendor should be a seamless journey without friction and headaches. Consistently delivering high customer service builds trust and makes your organization a reliable partner.

• Be transparent and communicate information accurately
• Take responsibility for your mistakes and provide a solution
• Keep your promises and conduct business with integrity

Get things done quick, fast, and in a hurry
The phrase “time is money” is a principle of business. Speed and efficiency are essential ingredients for servicing B2B clients. Research indicates being responsive and implementing time-saving processes has a more significant influence on keeping customers loyal than reducing costs. One of the customers’ biggest complaints is their inability to get a quick response. Phone calls go unanswered, or emails or texts are ignored. A good rule of thumb is to return phone calls within 24 hours. Providing a specific time frame sets realistic expectations for customers. It’s up to your team to deliver on the promise.

Keep a Positive Attitude
Everyone has bad days. However, the #1 rule of customer service is to greet customers with a smile on your face and in your voice. Being friendly, courteous, and respectful can go a long way in business negotiations. Share your expertise and focus on what you bring to the table to help your customers meet their objectives. Always prioritize servicing your customer, even when they are short-tempered, unreasonable, or need to remember how often you come to their rescue.

Take the time to get it right
Things are more frustrating than receiving information that changes every hour. Businesses base their decisions on receiving accurate information. Although there is a tendency for customer service interactions to bounce back and forth without making progress, limit messages to those that move the needle in the right direction. It’s better to take the time required to get the correct answer than to inundate customers with updates that can change. Research indicates that customers prefer resolving issues in one interaction and are willing to invest whatever time is necessary.

Know Your Stuff
It may seem obvious, but you should have an in-depth knowledge of the subjects discussed. Giving excellent service depends on your ability to understand the benefits of the products and services you sell. How are they used? What are the advantages for the customer? Is another product better suited for the project the customer has in mind? Be an asset that helps customers feel they’ve made a wise investment by doing business with your company. When you are passionate about what you sell, it shows in your delivery and convinces others you know your stuff.

Ask for Feedback
Some of the best recommendations for improvements in products and services come from customers. What they want may be out of your comfort zone, but sometimes that’s what it takes to move to the next level and stay ahead of competitors. Reach out to your customers and let them know you appreciate their feedback and want to better understand their points of view. If you have a team that services business clients, share the comments to give them insights that can help them build better customer relationships.

Be Sincere and Say thank you
Customers have other options, and they choose to do business with you. When simple courtesies are often forgotten, saying thank you can be meaningful. A warm smile is an essential element of customer service. Thank you can also be offered as a handwritten note, lunch, or holiday gift. Customers will remember your sincere gesture of appreciation.