Establishing trust in your business and brand can seem like a confusing or daunting task, but is imperative for success! In business, establishing trust is what helps build positive customer relationships and later translates to sales. If you can get people to trust your brand, you gain long-term customer loyalty and establish the longevity of your business.
Studies show that trust is a key variable in establishing effective commitment in consumer-brand relationships.1 Hearing healthcare is an intimate service. Your clients trust you with not only their physical hearing health but also their physical and psychological well-being.
Consumers are now more empowered than ever in ways they haven’t been before — the ubiquity of social media means everyone has a public platform to vocalize (and criticize) their experiences with your brand in real-time.2
To survive and thrive in the long run, establishing trust is as critical as launching relevant and functional products and services.2 Establishing trust in your business and brand is just as important as it is in all other relationships and interactions!
Ways to Establish Trust
Provide Excellent Customer Service
A big part of providing excellent customer service is being accessible to your patients. Ensure your patients feel welcomed throughout their experience and that they shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to you.
Solicit Customer Feedback
You won’t know how your patients are feeling about their experience unless you ask! By soliciting customer feedback, you are not only giving valuable insight into what is working and what is not. You are also showing the customer that you value them and care about the quality of their experience.
Directly Address Issues and Concerns
Studies show that trust is predicated on a consumer’s attitude toward the brand, perceived quality, and customer-oriented behavior.1
There will always be customers who are upset or have complaints, and how you resolve issues is what determines if others will keep trusting you.
Interestingly, building trust using this method doesn’t always affect the person you have problems with directly.3 It affects those who are watching how things play out. The way you handle it sends a message of what you’ll do in a similar situation that might involve them.
Be Upfront and Transparent
Customers trust companies that are upfront and transparent. Be it with product and service costs, treatment expectations, or even timelines. Making claims or promises you don’t keep in person or in your marketing is a quick way to kill your customers’ trust and your credibility as a business.
