Learn how to earn back client trust that you let slip away

Have you ever been in any of the following situations:

  • You’ve forgotten about appointments, leaving customers waiting on you and wasting their time.
  • You missed deadlines and clients lose opportunities for possible deals.
  • You’ve lost clients’ information that you assured them would be handled securely.
  • You promised a price point and were then unable to deliver.
  • You didn’t cover some of the fine print, and a client thought you were untrustworthy.

Even the best salesperson sometimes makes mistakes. If you find yourself in the wrong, and are wondering how to earn trust back, don’t hesitate. Take immediate action to resolve any issues you’ve created with your customers.

Think about how you earned your clients’ trust in the first place. You were straightforward, helpful, respectful, and trustworthy. If you mess up, you’ll need to have all these qualities, and more.

The #1 most important thing to do is to take responsibility if you make a mistake. However, in taking responsibility, you also have to take the steps to fix what you’ve done wrong. Here are a few ways to mend a damaged client relationship.

Customers appreciate transparency

Your customers are intelligent. If you make a mistake, tell the truth. If you try to cover it up, you’ll only make things worse for yourself. There is no need to disguise prices or make excuses. Be upfront. Even if your clients are unhappy with the situation, they’ll value your honesty. You don’t need to wonder how to earn trust back if you don’t lose it in the first place.

Be poised

If you’ve made a mistake, you might feel frustrated with yourself or the situation. Don’t let your emotions show when learning how to earn trust back. If your clients see that you are emotional or angry, they might doubt your professionalism.

Respond quickly

Don’t allow a lot of time to go by if your customers reach out. A simple, but timely, response will show that you’re paying attention to their needs. Reply to all emails and phone calls within 24 hours. If something is urgent, get in touch right away. Oh, and if you’re not in the office, make sure your voicemail and email autoresponder reflects your absence.

Prove that you value the relationship

If you’ve lost your clients’ trust, they’ll assume that you don’t value the relationship, and that you’ll treat them as just another deal. How can you make it up to your customer? Can you provide your services free of charge for a month? Can you offer a significant discount on the next contract? If you’re able to offer better rates or alert your customers to upcoming sales, do so. Even if that means you’re deferring a contract into the future. Your clients may be wary of your intentions. By showing them that you’re putting their needs above your own, they’ll notice that you’re working for their best interests.

Don’t be dismissive

Your customers’ concerns are important. Even if you’ve answered a question hundreds of times before, and you’re tired of responding, this is the very first time your customers are hearing the answer. Politely address all of your clients’ questions. Also, if you notice your clients are asking questions that aren’t of importance to the deal at hand, don’t disregard them. Educate your customers; the better they understand your products or services, the more they’ll find value in you. The more value they see, the more likely they’ll want to trust you again.

Ask your clients

I could list a number of suggestions to earning back trust, but the only person or group of people that know how to earn trust back after it’s lost is your customers. Don’t guess at ways you can repair the relationship, be brave and contact your client directly. Here are a few ways you can start the conversation:

  • “I know I messed up by _______. How can I remedy this situation?”
  • “What can I do to prove my loyalty to you?”
  • “I really appreciate your business. Please tell me what you expect from me, and I promise I’ll deliver.”

Deliver on your promises

Once you’ve identified how to earn trust back, take all the necessary steps to make sure you meet your customers’ expectations. People are willing to give you a second chance, but if you mess that up, they’ll be sure to take their business elsewhere. Moving forward, consistency will be key. You’ll need to prove that you’re always available when you say you’ll be available, and that your quality of work will always be consistent.

If you need to repair your relationships with customers, it might take time away from gaining new leads. Don’t worry, QuoteWizard has you covered. Join now to get high-quality leads sent your way.