Empowering your customers through trust and partnership

All businesses play a part in creating a special experience in someone’s life. For some people, this moment may be monumental—whether it’s finding a daycare for their young child, an event planner for their wedding, or in the case of this week’s episode, an advisor to help them take their next career leap. Customers are looking for someone they trust in a moment of need, in a moment that will shape the next stage of their life. 

Tim Lo, co-founder of career counseling service Your Next Jump, finds himself in that position daily. He recognizes that creating trust is essential, especially when it comes to securing the next big step in a person’s career. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear how to build a reputation based on trust and how to provide customer value throughout the entire experience, even after the typical transaction period is over.

This week’s Yelp reviewer, Heather C., shares her experience with Your Next Jump, including how Tim helped her prepare for a job industry change—from explaining everything she needed to know about the job hunt to the challenges that would likely arise throughout. His calculated approach to her specific situation is what motivated her to leave a review: “When you’re looking for help with your resume, it’s probably because you’re at a crossroads in your life. And you’re at a place where you feel a little lost and you need some guidance. This was definitely a unique experience and one that was very helpful for me and [left me] feeling like I could get up the nerve to make this transition at all.”

Tim’s passion for his craft shines through with his customers. That dedication to the customer journey started early: “My business partner Tony and I both started this company back in 2015, but we actually were doing a lot of this work well before then. We started the company because we were helping friends and friends of friends at our church or different social groups that we were a part of. Honestly, we were pretty tired of just seeing a lot of our friends being passed up for positions that they were definitely qualified for.”

The services Tim provides are more than just a job. His company gives him the opportunity to help people find that next step in their career journey that will bring them happiness. That journey is not always easy—a challenge Tim understands well. He himself has struggled with the sometimes tumultuous process of job searching. Because of this, he can relate to the roller coaster of emotions his clients are going through. It’s his mission to equip them with strong resumes and the confidence and motivation they need to secure their next role.

As Tim does when he meets a client, it’s important to be mindful of where your customers are in their journey. Do they know what they are looking for? If not, do they need more tools and guidance to figure out what suits them best? Are they close to the finish line and just need some fine tuning to make a decision? By figuring out what stage they are at in the process, you’ll be able to understand their needs and establish a plan.

Here are a few additional takeaways from the episode:

• Communicate your value to your customers. Before a customer signs up to work with Your Next Jump, they’re offered a free, 15-minute consultation. This no-strings-attached approach allows potential customers to gauge expectations to see if the solutions could work for them. Of course, not all businesses can offer consultations, but think about how you can show customers why they should spend their time and money with your business.
• Add value throughout the customer journey. Your Next Jump doesn’t just stop at the sale. The team continues to offer free resources after a customer has secured their next job, like educational webinars to help them further advance their skills and careers. When you see your customer as more than a business deal, you build a more meaningful relationship that can lead to more opportunities—like repeat business and referrals.
• Focus on building trust. This is essential in any business. After creating a genuine level of trust, the customer experience becomes more valuable and rewarding. Especially when it comes to a process that takes more time and is potentially at a higher cost, it’s important to give your customers a reason to trust you. They want to know that you care about the outcome and that you’ll be there for the entire journey. 

Interviews by Emily Washcovick

These lessons come from an episode of Behind the Review, Yelp & Entrepreneur Media’s weekly podcast. Listen below to hear from Tim and Heather, or visit the episode page to read more, subscribe to the show, and explore other episodes.