任何到过Sonic(索尼克)公司的人都能感受到，并没有达到期望。如果你是一家小公司的老板，你很有可能更讨厌“期待”这个词。顾客有大量你能满足的梦想与需求，并且很多情况下你都视而不见。

　　In the tech world, expectations are especially killer. Terms like “the cloud” don’t help. Clouds are huge fluffy things that float and take on a million, ever-changing forms, so you can’t blame people for thinking that anything is possible in this industry. But when you’re operating on a budget, you can’t fulfill every whim, so part of the responsibility—and surely thrill—of owning a business is learning to set and then meet your clients’ expectations.

　　在技术行业里，“期待值”特别折磨人。诸如“云端”的概念都不例外。云端就是那些庞大的悬浮物，以成千上万，瞬息万变的形态流动着，所以你不能责怪人们总是认为“世事皆有可能”。但当你在筹划着一笔预算，你并不能满足每一个奇思妙想，所以有一部分的责任——肯定是令人振奋的，运行一家公司就是要学会预设和满足客户的期待。

　　公司运营：4步吸引好客户

　　1.Attract the Right Business

　　1. 吸引正确的业务

　　As the voice of your product, you have the power to draw the kind of customers you want, and that starts with your brand. If you spout yourself as a full-service operation that holds the customer’s hand from start to finish, you need to deliver on that immediately to keep your clients around. If you’re more hands-off, you’ll be going after independent clients who are up for DIY. Communicate who you are and stick to it. If people are coming through the door with the wrong idea about you, you’re not being loud enough.

　　正如产品的发行目标，你有能力预期购买产品的顾客，并以自己的品牌作为起点。如果你标榜你的公司是一家全套服务运行的公司，对顾客的需求与服务从一而终，那么你很快就能吸引和保住顾客。如果你的并不能全程待命，你就需要吸引能够自主处理的顾客。找到合适的顾客，与对方洽谈并维持这个原则。如果顾客从别的渠道获得不同的信息，当他们来找你算账的时候，你可就底气不足了哦。

　　2.Understand Your Clients

　　2. 了解你的客户。

　　Once you gain someone’s business, the expectation game really begins. You’ll get clients who love you and clients who really… don’t. Treat them as case studies. Let them vent. Learn what went wrong. These people will help you grow more than your biggest fans, even if you end up losing their business. Biting the bullet and asking honestly, “Where did we screw up?” will indulge them and enlighten you. To initiate these conversations, you need a method of taking your clients’ temperature before they’re fuming. Periodic check-ins, whether digital or in-person, give your customers the sense that they’ve been heard, plus provide you with regular insight on how you’re faring.

　　当你得到了商业机会，真正的期待值游戏便正式开始。你会吸引非常喜欢你的客户，也有非常不喜欢的客户。把他们的情况当作个案研究，分别处理。让顾客说出自己真正的需求，再了解其中哪个环节出了问题。这些客户，不仅仅作为你的忠实顾客的身份，会帮助你成长，即使最后你可能会失去他们的支持。直面弹劾并真诚地询问：“我们哪些地方让你感到不满意？”这样可以给予客户发泄的空间并给予你启发。在开始对话的时候，你需要测试判断顾客的情绪避免他们太生气了。定期给他们联系，无论是通过网络还是本人亲自面谈的方式，都能够让客户感受到自己的需求被听进去了，再者会为你的担忧提供定期的看法反馈。

　　3.Transform Your Relationship

　　3. 转变人际关系。

　　Feedback in hand, you can tweak away. The next time you identify a “difficult” client, you’ll know where they came from and what you could have done to make them happier. Sometimes it just isn’t meant to be—tough people will slip through the cracks regardless of how accurately you build your brand around your business. But more often than not, angry clients are open to changing their minds if you give them the chance. Start by empathizing and end by advocating. Hear them out, then tell them exactly what you’ll do to change their mind. Don’t tack on higher expectations than they already have; give realistic solutions that you’re confident you can see through. By taking control and forecasting your relationship, you begin molding it into one you both want, and this is where progress flourishes.

　　反馈正在进行中，你可以稍作调整。下次你发现有一位“难相处”的客户，你就知道他们不满意的原因以及你能做那些事情让他们更满意。不过有时候事与愿违——难相处的人无论你多么清晰地定位你的品牌，他们都只会草率略过。不过通常的情况下，愤怒的客户都保持开放的心态接受挑战。开口语气要中肯强调，结束要拥护支持。听取他们的需求，并告诉他们你会做哪些事情帮助他们。不要多生枝节让对方留下更高的期待值，要提供直接现实的，你所能游刃有余应对的解决方案。控制好，预期你的人际关系，然后就能按照双方的期望的发展，事情就变得好办了。

　　4.Rinse and Repeat

　　4. 不断完善

　　When you lose a customer, treat it as an opportunity to attract a better one. Armed with new knowledge about who you do and don’t want to work with, you can revisit your branding, up proactive communication, and apply the bandaid when necessary. We all dream of being comfortable enough to turn down customers we know aren’t a good fit, but for most businesses that’s not an option. Instead, you’ll better yourself for next time, and the time after that.

　　当你失去了客户，把这当作一次获取更好客户的经验。以新知识武装自己，明确自己的合作意愿，你能重新审视自己的品牌，主动与对方交流，在必要时申请援助。我们都想象能够舒适地处理不合格的客户关系，但对于大多数的企业来说不是一个选择，相反，你只有不断地完善自己，一次又一次地。