“Tinder on Customers” is the monthly Cloud Wars Live podcast series featuring Bonnie Tinder. Bonnie is the founder and CEO of Raven Intelligence, an independent B2B peer review site that amplifies the voice of the customer. She focuses on software customers, consulting partners, and software vendors and helps identify the best partners for their needs. In this episode, Bonnie offers insights into how to approach customer conversation as the year draws to an end.
Episode 35 | Customer Connections
The Big Themes
- Appointment hygiene: Maintain good appointment hygiene by scheduling appointments promptly, respecting allotted time, and communicating clearly. Avoid delays and make sure appointments align with the customer’s expectations. Even if work goes smoothly or superbly, it can be difficult for a client to look past problems with scheduling and communication.
- Considerate conversations: While having year-end meetings with customers, show a deep understanding of the customer by personalizing conversations. Ask strategic questions to uncover client goals and achievements and avoid direct discussions about commissions or financial incentives tied to contract renewals. Finally, end meetings on a positive note.
- Utilize artificial intelligence (AI) Tools: Leverage AI tools, such as transcription services, to automatically summarize meetings and conversations. This ensures that key points are documented and can be referenced for follow-up actions.
The Big Quote: “Do your homework ahead of time, bring things to the table that [customers] didn’t necessarily tell you about so you can show that, ‘Hey, I care about you, because I want to do more. I come to the table with more than just what you’ve told me.’ I think that’s a really big thing. People love to hear their name.”
More from Bonnie Tinder:
Connect with Bonnie on LinkedIn or send a message via her Acceleration Economy Analyst page.
