Customer trust is the most important value today. In a world where a buyer can choose from thousands of offers – both in physical stores and in the online world – trust becomes the decisive factor. Because it is trust, not price, that determines whether a customer is satisfied with their purchase and whether they will return to the seller. Additionally, a satisfied customer becomes a brand ambassador – they recommend, support, and defend it.
How to effectively build trust?
Trust does not come from nowhere. Building it between the customer and the seller is a process that requires genuine commitment, consistent actions, authenticity, and valuable contact.
Building trust begins even before the contract is concluded. That is why it is important that all messages contained in advertisements do not diverge from reality. Unfortunately, consumers often face an unpleasant surprise when it turns out that the concluded contract is completely different from what the entrepreneur assured them of. Such a situation not only undermines the building of trust but can also be a source of unpleasant consequences for the seller. Providing misleading information or concealing it may constitute an unfair market practice and opens up the possibility for the consumer to take legal action.
Of course, everyone can make a mistake. However, in such a situation, it is important how the seller behaves towards their customer – whether they will groundlessly try to deny reality or honestly admit the mistake, apologize, and compensate the client for the unpleasant experience. Good crisis management can win a truly loyal customer.
Trust must also be nurtured after the contract is concluded. Many customers use their consumer rights – they file complaints and withdraw from the contract. And unfortunately, many unnecessary frictions often arise at this stage, which could be avoided. A large part of contentious situations results from a misunderstanding or ignorance of regulations – both on the part of customers and sellers. Therefore, it is important that the seller knows the applicable regulations well and diligently adheres to them. Equally important is the ability to explain these regulations to the customer. Because if the customer is wrong in a specific situation, but receives a concrete and factual answer from the seller in accordance with the regulations, it will strengthen their trust in the professionally operating entrepreneur.
But trust is not just about acting in accordance with regulations. It is also empathy, openness, and understandingtowards the customer, because various situations happen in life. A kind and respectful approach to the other person, and sometimes “stepping outside the beaten path,” definitely influences the positive perception of the entrepreneur.
Trust is also built in another way – through an inclusive approach to various target groups. Mindfulness of customer needs and non-discrimination are a key value in an increasingly inclusive environment and build a competitive advantage. The way of communicating with the customer is also important. If the information conveyed to the consumer or the service method is based on difficult and incomprehensible industry language and is not tailored to the recipient, it creates a strong barrier and significantly lowers trust.
A Matter of Choice or a Legal Requirement?
One might ask whether, given the multitude of applicable regulations, building trust is a choice or rather a requirement resulting from regulations? There are many regulations regarding consumers and they quite specifically define the standards for information obligations (Consumer Rights Act, Act on Counteracting Unfair Market Practices), quality of goods (e.g., GPSR, i.e., the General Product Safety Regulation), and requirements that products and services must meet (e.g., the Polish Accessibility Act, i.e., ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements for certain products and services by economic operators, DSA – Digital Services Act), liability for defects in goods and the complaint procedure (provisions of the Consumer Rights Act and the Civil Code), the right to withdraw from a distance contract(Consumer Rights Act) … – this is a small part of the legislation that must be applied.
Although there is no shortage of regulations, unfortunately, one can often encounter situations where entrepreneurs deliberately ignore them or try to bend them and test the boundaries set by these provisions. The phenomenon can also be observed that sellers fail to skillfully apply all these regulations, although they are able to admit their mistake and correct the irregularities. Legal provisions are not a guarantor of trust – that is built through honest action and approach towards the customer.
