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Difficult Conversations with Customers
Having tough conversations with customers — about a price increase, changing contract terms, failure to meet contracted volumes, service failures, customer demands, or timelines – are inevitable. When not handled well, the costs can be high. Although the topics themselves may be inherently challenging, when we address them skillfully, they can be powerful opportunities to strengthen working relationships, build trust and achieve better business results. Vantage’s approach enables our clients to prepare for and execute every difficult conversation – so new strategies can be implemented, and customer relationships can be salvaged.
Mindset Shift Required
Many salespeople avoid difficult conversations with their customers at all costs. Often, they choose to spend time with the customers they like and with whom they have the deepest relationships. In reality, real-growth opportunities often come from those customers where the conversations might be the hardest. Based on Vantage’s best-selling book Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, participants will gain the confidence to engage any customer even when the topic is hard.
Better Actions Enabled
- Enable individuals and organizations to leverage interpersonal skills for improved business results and customer relationships.
- Communicate effectively with customers in the face of disagreement, conflict and strong emotions.
- Learn to empathize with customers’ strong feelings, even while continuing to disagree with the other person’s point of view.
- Apply the Five Key Shifts in Thinking to diagnose unproductive thinking and strategize about how to change it.
Results Achieved
Conversations with your customers do not have to be heated or transactional, but instead centered around joint-value creation to achieve better business results. Participants will learn to accomplish this by managing their internal voice and practice taking a challenging topic to turn it into a great business opportunity for both sides.