Clients are valuable assets. When you go to sell your agency it is always a toss-up as to which has greater value—the customer list or the agents. Both are integral to the success of your agency, so it is imperative that both are happy. Hopefully, we all know what keeps a client and an agent happy, but what might turn a client off of your agency? I have some thoughts.
How Do You Answer Your Phone?
Unless you are rolling the dough (and none of us are) make sure you are answering your phone so that your clients (and more importantly your prospects) know these two things:
- The name of the business and what you do. If your agency name is “Sun and Sand Travel” make sure you use the entire name, so the caller knows it is about travel and not a bathing suit store! If your name does not immediately convey travel, consider using a tagline.
- Be upbeat. Smiles convey over the telephone. Make sure you sound relaxed and friendly. “This is John” is a poor way to greet someone. “This is John, how can I help you today?” is much better. Here’s a tip, stand up as you answer the phone, it relaxes your diaphragm and allows the air to flow a lot easier.
Consider How You Qualify Your Client
Hopefully, you are using a CRM to help you “know” your client. And also hopefully, you are using it in the right way. To effectively do our jobs, we need to ask questions. But they cannot come off like an inquisition. Converse with your clients and prospects and learn the answers through discovery. To find out how a client likes to travel, consider these two lines of questioning for a prospect that says they want to return to Anytown USA for a trip.
- So, when are you going? What type of accommodations are you looking for? Would you like a standard room or a deluxe room or a suite?
- Oh, I love Anytown. Last time I was there I stayed at the ChiChi OoohLala and had a fantastic time. When were you looking to go?
The first scenario will get the answers, but you are just checking off the boxes. The second will morph the questions into a conversation. They may say “oh, I have heard of that and it sounds amazing, but definitely beyond my budget.” Or they could say, “well we usually stay at Hilton properties, but this is a special trip so a splurge might be worthwhile.” And from there, you move into the “special trip” and so on down the line.
The bottom line is when you qualify a prospect, they should leave smiling about the conversation they just had. Not that flashback moment to college stressing about getting all the answers correct.
Don’t Screw Up The Follow-Up
Following up is difficult. As business owners, we juggle so many balls and it is difficult to remember everything. Work on that. Find a system that works for you and embrace it. But, without follow-up, you have no clients; and without clients, you have no business; and with no business, you have no balls to juggle. Problem solved!
Under-promise and over-deliver is the mantra I follow for my business. If they expected nothing and got a t-shirt on a group cruise, I win. If they expect an answer next week and I get it to them on Friday of this week, I win. Deadlines are critical for payments, and they need to be for communicating with clients and prospects as well. What do you think when you have a problem, and your BDM does not return your voicemail? Don’t let your client ever feel that way. And ditch that supplier as a preferred for your agency!
And in your follow-up, make sure you are clear and complete with the information you deliver and the information you need. No one wants to go back and forth for ten phone calls or emails to get to the point. Plus, it just proves that you are unprepared, and perhaps unqualified. What do you think the client is thinking about their trip when there are already so many hurdles getting out of the gate while planning?
Keeping your clients engaged and turned onto your agency is not terribly difficult, yet it is critically important. Clients need to feel comfortable, nourished, and excited about moving forward with planning their travel with your agency. Getting them to that point is all on you!
Thoughts? Leave a comment!
PS: And Happy Valentine’s Day… Love you guys! ♥
