©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ DRAZENZIGIC
How to Have Better Customer Conversations During the Crisis
BY GREGG SCHWARTZ
THE COVID-19 CRISIS has caused so much disruption and uncertainty for everyone in all aspects of work and life. When talking to customers, it can be hard to know how to strike the right balance between acknowledging the crisis and focusing on business. Sometimes it’s okay to blend business and personal with your customer conversations, especially during a time of widespread stress, grief and uncertainty. Here are a few tips for having better customer conversations. Don’t Ignore the News. COVID-19 has caused a massive shift in everyone’s priorities and daily life experience. So don’t assume your sales conversations with customers have to be strictly about business. Start conversations by just asking customers how they’re doing, how they’re coping with the latest news. You don’t have to be afraid to acknowledge the crisis that we’re all in. Most customers will appreciate you being candid and willing to talk about a situation we’re all going through. At times of crisis, customers may even be more skeptical of salespeople who are not acknowledging the bigger situation. However, you don’t have to dwell on it. Try to keep the conversation light and optimistic. You might want to say things like, “It’s been awhile since we talked; the situation has been difficult,
28
SURFACEANDPANEL.COM
