Regaining Your Customer's Trust

Any sales situation presents opportunities to build and protect trust – or to damage or break it. Avoid common trust-breaking behaviors:

• Appearing to maneuver for personal gain at the expense of your customer
• Not delivering on a commitment
• Mishandling a request for concessions
• Unskillfully passing off a customer to someone else
• Going over a customer's head
• Impatiently pushing a customer to proceed more quickly
• Covering up or shifting the blame for a mistake
• Sharing confidential information about a customer or a competitor

When you know you've broken or lost your customer's trust:

• Manage emotions
• Clarify the issue
• Facilitate ongoing communication
• Take responsibility to act

Overview/Description

Careless words and actions can quickly undermine the trusting relationships that you work so hard to develop with your customers. When you know you've lost a customer's trust, you'll have to make an honest, concerted effort to regain it. This Business Impact explores strategies for rebuilding trust and getting your relationship back on track.

Target Audience

Experienced sales professionals who wish to improve their ability to rebuild trust with customers