One of the fundamental principles underlining relationship of any kind; be it marital or business relationship is trust. Trust plays a vital role in sustaining the bonds of a relationship

Thus, the extent with which you relate with or rely on an individual, a friend, colleague, employees or officers of a business organization, or its brand is determine by the level of trust you placed on them.

As a Travel Consultant, the question is; how do you keep customer loyal? How often does your client call at your office for your professional advice? The thing is, if you can make your customers trust you and your
brand, you will encourage them to use your services, rather than doing it themselves.

Customers' loyalty is one of the major challenges that every business organization, specifically the sales and marketing team often encounter. But the only antidote, according to experts, is trust. When a customer trusts your brand, he becomes vulnerable and relies completely on your products or services irrespective of prices and competitions. That is why some passengers prefer one airline to the other notwithstanding the fare difference.

Keywords: Enhancing our customers' experiences will help to build trust and keep customers loyal. In a perfectly competitive market like ours; I believe that a good customer relation plays a vital role in "maintaining the sales circle and promoting the brand of the organization"

In this month, I will like to share with you three steps on how to earn your clients' trust

1. Be a problem solver:

Have you ever wondered why some people prefer to fly one airline continuously despite all other airlines that go to the same destination even with cheaper fares?

In a business relationship, what keeps your customer loyal? What brings about repeated sales? This is nothing else than problem solvers' team, a strong and dedicated team with the mind to follow through and proffer solution makes a brand to stand out. My mentor says; "you are here to provide solutions to people's problems and not to provide excuses." This word touched me and I keep thinking about it for days.

2. Be a team player

When work load increases, pressure sets in, mistake becomes inevitable and efficiency turns inefficiency. The only antidote is team work.

This two words "Team work" in recent time has become one of the must have skills for human resource management during recruitment exercise to consider any applicant fit for the job. The question is, what does it mean to work as a team? One of the criteria of a team player is listening skills. If you lack the ability to listen, you may be a team player but not a good one. Reason, you do not pay attention to other peoples' opinion and suggestions.

My mentor said; "In this company, we welcome ideas and innovations. If you have beautiful ideas and suggestions please feel free to share it with us. " This is what it means to work as a team. The truth is you can't do it alone.

Don't forget here that your customers are part of your team. You must learn to listen to what your customer is saying or trying to say, their ideas, and suggestions. Rather than making your decision or opinion a must accept to them, I'll suggest, you ask them what they want, when and how they want it.

3. Be trustworthy

To be trustworthy is to be honest and transparent. That is, the ability to do what you say you will do and follow through on your word. Trustworthiness is more of a specific than generic. That is, it has to do with an individual character and trait. My mentor says;" the greatest asset of an employee in an organization is the level of trust placed on him by his employer" and I reasoned with him. Academic qualification and human connection might give you a job, but what will sustain it is trust.

Now speaking from the generic term, there is no better or faster route to developing a trusting relationship in business specifically in aviation market than to be true to your word. If you say it, do it. If you have no intention of doing something, don't say you will.

Remember when a customer trusts your brand, as a travel management company, he becomes vulnerable and relies completely on your products or services irrespective of prices and competitions. That is why some passengers prefer one airline to the other notwithstanding the fare difference. Written by: Solomon A.