How many of you have tried to stick with a workout regimen?
I myself can be found in my apartment throwing around my free weights, from time to time, in an effort to bulk up. I always find lifting hardest to do when I’m on my final reps on my last sets, not because I’m tired but because my mind usually wanders on to other things I need to do that day. Still I push on and finish knowing ultimately that if I don’t cheat myself I will only better myself.
At Incept, one of the things we pride ourselves on is strengthening the relationship with each blood donor we talk to during every call we make. Much like lifting weights or running to get in shape, when it comes to strengthening the relationship with the people we talk to, the consistent practice of putting our values at the forefront of our calls is something we always strive for. There are no shortcuts when it comes to building positive rapport on our client’s behalves with their donor bases.
The reasoning behind our mantra of strengthening the relationship with each call is easy:
- First of all, we are a small company that delivers world-class service that you would expect to receive from a larger organization. World-class service starts with our Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs). They are literally the ambassadors working on behalf of our clients.
- Secondly, if you are familiar with the telecommunications industry, we most likely will be calling these folks back. The idea of being able to strengthen the relationship is centered around our goal to have consistent, high-quality conversations with the donors we speak with. When we call them back we want them to remember the high-quality service they received previously, making them much more open to have a conversation with!
- Finally – and once again with our clients in mind - strengthening the relationship means ending the call on a positive note, even if that doesn’t mean getting the appointment or close. When it comes down to it the donor is always right, and it is our job to educate them on our services and be as helpful and sincere as we can.
It really is the little steps we take in each call that ultimately build relationships.
So what does it mean for your business to strengthen the relationship with your own donors? Here are some of the small steps that Incept’s Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs) take in each call that make up that bigger picture.
Tips to Strengthen The Relationship
- Make your donors feel like you are on their side. With each situation a Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) faces, listening is always the most important step in being able to have a good conversation. If a donor feels frustrated about their past experiences, do not be afraid to let that donor know that you understand specifically why that has been an inconvenience. People want to feel like someone understands their problem, so in turn never be afraid to verbalize and empathize how much you really do understand. It opens them up to be willing to listen to solutions or advice.
- Be assumptive in your search for your customer’s solution. So you have listened and empathized with your donor. What now? This is the point where the donor is essentially relying on you to be the one with suggestions towards solutions to their circumstances. A lot of people can identify a problem that is brought up initially, but spoken words only go so far. Sometimes you have to listen to what is not being said to get a good idea of what is actually needed. Do not be afraid to be assumptive with your questions. Being assumptive when trying to find a solution will not only help you convey to your donor that you want to help them, but it gives them the opportunity to interject their own needs and questions into the process.
- Convey that you are a person, not just a voice on the phone. Recently I had to call in to one of my credit card companies to straighten out an issue with my account. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but when I did call I was pleasantly surprised with how the rep handled my situation. He explained what happened in a very friendly manner and used his own personal experiences to let me know what could be done to help me. Being personable and interjecting your own personal experiences will help you come off as a person and not just a customer service rep. When you take that step, the customer tends to feel more relaxed andwill listen to what you are saying. It gives them reassurance that they are not the only ones who have been through such a predicament and sets that stage to begin to working toward a solution.
These are just a few of the ideas and practices we carry out daily in our phone calls at Incept. Just because we work in the realm of providing customer service does not mean we have to come off as script-reading robots. World-class service at its very core relies on a telecommunications firm’s ability to be not only knowledgeable about their product or service, but also about what to expect (and how to react) in each interaction with their donors. When you effectively strengthen the relationship you are not only creating a positive image of your organization, but you literally are preemptively retaining your donors!
What are some other ways a blood donor recruiter can strengthen the relationship with a donor?