Customers are the lifeblood of a business. Without them, profit can be challenging to attain. No matter how brilliant its idea is, a company will not flourish if there are no customers willing to put their money into it. This is a fact that applies to any business model be it business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C).
It’s safe to say that B2B relationships are more intimate than B2C ones. B2B businesses then need to be more responsible whilst discerning when it comes to the entities they deal with.
While you may want to work with as many customers and make as much profit as possible, the truth is that a problematic customer can eventually take a toll on your team. An entrepreneur in their right mind would prefer doing business with another business that makes any transaction feel like a breeze.
6 Qualities of a B2B Customer Worth Retaining
Life’s too short to deal with demanding customers. But, with the right frame of mind, you can always nurture a clientele composed of individuals and organizations you will be happy and proud to do business with for the long haul. Here are customer qualities to look for.
1. Collaborative
The B2B model is a two-way street. Unlike B2C transactions, you don’t just sell a product, and that’s it. You sell a partnership in the B2B space. And your customer, a business unto itself, should understand that. They must be willing to go out of their way to make the relationship work.
2. Thirsty for knowledge
Consider this scenario: you’re in the business of providing team management software, but your client refuses to invest in staff training. That right there is a red flag. A customer worth retaining knows that it is as much their responsibility to understand the products you offer as it is yours to explain them.
3. Proactive
You’re better off with customers who reach out to you to demand the exact things you want to offer them. Compared to customers who wait for problems to arise before attempting to communicate with your team, a proactive client is much easier to handle.
4. Supportive
A great customer values your contribution to their business’s growth. As such, they give you positive testimonials and write good reviews. And most importantly, they refer you to other companies whenever they can. That’s their way of showing support for your endeavor.
5. Self-sufficient
If they have yet to become fully self-sufficient, at least they’re trying to. Working with a client who’s completely reliant on your team, even for minor troubleshooting requirements, will eventually weigh you down. This dependency might even cause you to neglect other clients inadvertently. So, value those self-sufficient names in your catalog.
6. Transparent
A good customer knows what they want and what they don’t want. And they won’t mind telling you all about them if only to make your business relationship run as smoothly as it should.
How to Attract and Take Care of Good Customers
As a B2B supplier, your job is twofold customer-management-wise. First, you need to attract good customers. Second, you must give them the best customer experience. Here are tips on how you can achieve those objectives.
- Use the right tools
Here, it’s crucial to know your customers first. That knowledge will come in handy in determining what customer management tools could work.
For example, you can’t rely on automating your customer service if you already know how your clients detest those template responses. You might further infuriate an already frustrated client who wants nothing but personalized customer service. - Communicate clearly
Keep in mind that you’re working with businesses. They have deadlines to cater to themselves. That means any setback in product or service delivery can compromise their output.
To avoid getting the ire of an otherwise good customer, be clear with what you say. And more than clarity, be honest with your promises. - Use positive language
Not all business scenarios will work as planned. But there’s always a way to diminish unfavorable, negative, or discouraging results through the right communication style.
For instance, promise your client to place their order as soon as fresh supplies reach the warehouse instead of saying you can’t get them what they want because you ran out of stock. - Get earnest with customer complaints
Even your best customer will occasionally encounter an issue with your service. Make sure to respond to any complaint with seriousness and sincerity. Acknowledge how you fell short but quickly refocus the conversation on a viable solution. Then, follow through with what you promise. - Empower your customers
Giving your customers the power to solve issues they might have on their own gives you time to focus on your business and gives your customers a kind of autonomy.
This does not mean leaving them cold out in the dark. So long as you furnish them with the tools and resources needed for them to DIY troubleshooting requirements, you can’t be at fault. For starters, make sure your website and other self-help portals are working properly.
Wrapping Up
As a business person, your main priority is to turn a profit and continually grow your entrepreneurial endeavor.
However, you can’t go about meeting this objective at the expense of your mental health. If a business you deal with chronically gives you a splitting headache, it may be best to reassess such a relationship. Ultimately, whatever advantage you may gain from the business in question might not be worth it.
Remember that if you’re doing a good and ethical business, you deserve to deal with good and ethical customers, too. And rest assured, they are not scarce.
