There is one thing that can help you to achieve just about anything, as a leader it enables you, as a friend it secures you and as a brand it fuels customer loyalty. Trust.

It’s one of the most important assets anyone or any organisation can have. Trust is created through strong relationships and genuine recommendations.

Trust is tough to get and easy to lose. Trust in banks has plunged the last few months because of obvious reasons. So now it should be top priority of banks to build trust again. Trust can be built through genuine and honest conversations – by definition that requires a two-way interaction that is not achieved in traditional communication.

In today’s world of abundant information and excess availability of knowledge, people have become way more cynical about companies’ motives when communicating. There is often a snap assumption of financial gain behind recommendations. That’s why no one really believes advertising anymore, with growing experience customers know not to trust the messages put out and consequently the companies behind them.

Social
So how to build genuine and honest conversations? First of all it’s about doing what you say. What you say should always be build on insights of your target group, if not it won’t be relevant and won’t be picked up. Once you do what you say you can also invest in social networks and social media to have your promise spread all-over. Social media can be a great medium for building trust with your customers.

Furthermore, trust is built through transparency. There is a growing need for consumers to get transparency from their bank. They don’t accept the traditional grey, static buildings with blinded windows anymore. They want to know what is happening with their money. And if the banks don’t disclose it themselves, then 3rd parties will as is illustrated by this new site in the Netherlands www.eerlijkebankwijzer.nl