Creating and nurturing a strong relationship with a customer is key to a company's continued success. Dissatisfied customers, on the other hand, are often put off by what they see as a purely "business" relationship with a company. A strong customer relationship not only means that the customer is likely to continue doing business with a provider in the long run but also significantly increases the likelihood that that customer will recommend the company and its products to others. ^[1] Read on for strategies that will help you build solid relationships with your customers.

Part one of three:
Building a relationship with a customer

1 Get to know your customers personally. Getting to know your customers personally is ideal, as many customers visit businesses run by people they know and love.

• When speaking with customers in person, ask about their interests and concerns, as well as what works and doesn't work for them regarding your own business. Remembering a customer's name, family members, and other personal information can go a long way.
• Taking notes helps you remember specific details about a customer's feedback, so you can learn more about each customer's specific experience.
• Special events are a great way to meet face-to-face and get to know customers in person. They also offer customers space to ask questions and make suggestions; you also learn a lot about customer needs and wants.

2 Create a database for customer phone numbers, email, and email addresses. The more detailed and complex your customer database, the better you can respond to and meet customer needs.

• A customer database contains phone numbers, email, and email addresses, as well as more complex data about customer preferences, behavior, order history, and information about how your business is meeting customer needs. 

3 Use surveys, surveys, and questionnaires to learn about customer preferences and needs. These tools provide important information about what customers like about your business and what can be improved.

• Customer is more likely to visit your business if they feel heard; surveys, polls, and questionnaires will give a voice to your customer and increase their engagement with you and your business.
• Employee satisfaction also plays an important role in developing and maintaining customer relationships. Measuring employee satisfaction and encouraging their suggestions for improvements in your business will provide important feedback and contribute to customer satisfaction.

4 Research your customers. By carefully studying your own company's practices and performance, as well as the customer information gathered through market research, you can identify your customers, their needs, and ways in which you can improve their relationship with your company.

• By asking specific questions about a customer's needs and level of satisfaction, you get important information that you can act on to improve your relationship with them and improve customer service in general.
• Analyzing published market research will help you get a bigger picture of certain segments of customers, and provide information you can use to improve your business relationship with specific demographics.
• Depending on the size of your software, business analytics software and other types of computer technology can help you gather the information that helps you communicate effectively with customers.

The second part of three:
Communicating with a customer

1 Communicate with the customer. Establishing lines of communication with your customers is essential to developing relationships with them, and you should use as many communication platforms as possible.

• It's important to keep your customer's mind after an initial meeting. Be sure to establish a line of communication with the customer early, whether through email, newsletter, or otherwise.
• Don't focus solely on your company's products or services, or contact customers only when you're trying to monetize their business. Updates on events, product or service forecasts, or other news will help establish communications between you and the customer that are not strictly business-based.
• Engaging a customer in your business - finding ways to actively involve them in developing and improving your business - is an important part of building a relationship with them. upcoming events, and sales. A newsletter can be sent in a more traditional paper way or by email.

3 Develop a social media presence. Social media is now often crucial to customer loyalty, so you must be prepared to interact with customers on various social media platforms (often outside office hours).

4 Hold special events, parties, and competitions. These types of events allow you to meet customers in person, actively engage customers in your business, and show your appreciation for their loyalty. Set up a Facebook page, or Twitter account, or use other social media platforms to keep your customers informed. Invite your customers to visit your company profiles on social media. 

5 Encourage customer feedback. This includes seeking suggestions about new features or products that would interest the customer, as well as critiques of current products and features. This will not only build customer loyalty but also provide important information about customer needs and satisfaction.

• Let your customers know that honest, constructive feedback is encouraged, and be open to suggestions from your customers on how to improve your business.
• Always listen carefully and respond in a way that lets the customer know that you understand the suggestions or critiques that have been offered.