customer relationship management
- Prepare
- Training : link to padlet & the essentials
- The transfer
- Afterwards : use quickly !
Welcome to your page.
You will soon be participating in a training program designed to enhance your client interactions and help you build relationships of trust. This will enable you to assist your clients even more effectively as an advisor or expert in achieving their projects and objectives.
- To ensure the training is tailored to your specific needs, we invite you to prepare the training moment.
- You can also find the materials we use during the session here.
- Additionally, to help you put your knowledge and skills into practice, we have summarized the core takeaways for you in an FAQ format.
Enjoy!
(P.S. This page will remain available for quite some time, so feel free to refer back to it regularly.)
1. preparing the training ....
Preparation is half the battle
To help us hit the ground running during the session, we ask you to invest 10 minutes of your time beforehand.
We will revisit points 1 & 2 at the start of the training. Point 3 is the first excercise of the day … so be prepared 🙂
The To-Dos
Tailoring to your needs: To better align the training with your specific situation, it is helpful to think about any challenging scenarios you encounter. We will address these as much as possible during the training. Please jot down a few notes and bring them with you.
The CRM Framework: To structure the complex interplay between client and partner, we use the CRM framework as our starting point. Based on this, you can complete a questionnaire that provides insight into your preferred style. Please fill it out and bring the results.
Deep-dive: Complete one of the three assignments below. This will allow you to dive straight into the subject matter:
Observe someone who has built strong, long-term relationships with clients. Analyze them: What does this person do well? Consider both the “what” and the “how.”
Research: Search Google or ChatGPT for client relationship management tips and tricks (the soft skills version, not the software! 😀).
Practice: Consciously prepare for your next meeting or client interaction. Focus on getting your client to give a genuine commitment to one of your recommendations. How will you approach this? How did it go?
2. The training & the material
The training lasts one day. Please check your calendar for the specific schedule.
You will check the material digitally in advance. Here is the link to the Padlet—a type of digital board. You will find the material there, along with more detailed background information. We will be using this during the training.
3. Transfer : after the training
By transfer, we mean what is required to actually start using what you’ve learned in your daily work after the training. Essentially, it’s about translating and applying your new knowledge to your professional environment.
Several strategies can help facilitate this:
Create an action plan. Specific wording helps, so be sure to fill out the template.
Share your intentions with others. They can provide support or act as an accountability partner to keep you on the right track.
“Good is the enemy of done.” Just get started. Don’t put it off until the perfect opportunity arises. Try, learn, and view it as an experiment.
Celebrate progress! Success won’t be instant every time, but you will keep improving. Remember to reward yourself for those steps forward.
Turn it into a habit. Aim to execute your action plan at least 30 times. You might find apps like Habit Bull (or other “tiny habits” tools) helpful for staying consistent.
4. And action ....
Hier vind je de kern van de training om die in je job toe te passen. We formuleerden ze als een soort van FAQ waar je ook na de training op kan terugvallen.
The Trust Equation consists of four components. You should aim to maximize components 1–3 and minimize component 4 as much as possible.
You can practically give yourself a score from 1 to 5 for each component. And what would happen if you asked your client to do the same?
Credibility: To what extent do you know your job? Do you possess the capabilities to truly help your client?
Reliability: To what extent do you follow through on what you say you will do?
Intimacy: To what extent do you and your client feel comfortable being vulnerable with each other? How strong is your personal connection?
Self-orientation: To what extent are you primarily focused on your own interests and goals, viewing clients merely as a means to achieve them?
Complete the questionnaire.
You will receive a score for four possible advisory styles. You will likely have preferred styles as well as others that you rely on less frequently. Every style has its own value depending on the situation.
The more effectively you can switch between these styles, the better your results with your client will be. Navigating between styles comes down to two primary strategies: advocating for your own interests regarding the content and investing in a genuine relationship to better account for your client’s interests.
- Show interest in the other person, but also make sure you are seen and heard. It’s the balance between these two goals that you are looking for.
- Practice your pitch.
- Storytelling: stories are what stick.
Look for similarities first, not differences Start with points you already agree on. This creates trust and a positive foundation. “We both want a solution that is both efficient and feasible, right?”
Understand the interests behind the positions Ask follow-up questions to understand the “why” behind someone’s position. This helps discover overlapping underlying interests. “What is the most important outcome for you?”
Use ‘we-language’ and a shared focus Avoid an “us vs. them” approach. Use words like together, jointly, and our goal to create a shared mindset. “How can we find a solution together that works for everyone?”
This is how you lay the foundation for constructive collaboration, with respect for the interests of every party! 🚀
- Check if the decision is clear.
- Are you getting a genuine “yes”? Check if the “yes” is congruent (verbal = non-verbal = yes).
- Discuss commitment:
The impact
The resources
Taking responsibility
Showing consistency
- Define a shared goal. Ensure both parties recognize a common interest. “What do we want to achieve together that is valuable to both of us?”
- Invest in relationships, not just agreements. Schedule informal moments and build trust. “Let’s have regular check-ins to discuss what’s working and what’s not in an open and constructive way.”
- Celebrate small successes together. Recognize progress and achievements to keep motivation high. “Great result! This is a milestone that shows our partnership is truly working.”
This is how you create sustainable commitment and a strong collaboration! 🚀