While vulnerability builds loyalty, fear is what tears it apart. Fear can be a crippling emotion and can paralyze us from taking proper risks in business. Author Patrick Lencioni explains there are three fears that prevent us from building trust and loyalty with our clients:
1. Fear of losing the business- We can become solely focused on not losing the business that we get sidetracked and our fear can become a barrier to providing the proper service to our clients.
2. Fear of being embarrassed- We incorrectly think that if we are truly vulnerable with our clients and admit the limitations that our product or service has or if we don’t have an immediate answer or solution to their question or need, then we will embarrass ourselves. The truth is we can gain further respect and built further loyalty by being honest and forthright. The one thing that most clients feel is the unknown. They don’t want to be surprised by something that they were not expecting and that will have damaging affects to their business.
3. Fear of feeling inferior- We all at one time or another have felt a sense of inferiority. Of course we all want to be respected and not treated as those we are inferior to others. However, providing great service to our clients means that we do whatever it takes to help them even at the risk of feeling inferior.
Being vulnerable with your clients is not telling them what you think they want to hear but rather telling them what you know they need to hear, no matter how hard it may seem at the time. The loyalty and trust that you can build by being naked in front of your clients far outweighs the fears you may have. Go ahead, get naked!