It’s time to replace your wireless earbuds. You’re flipping between ecommerce sites comparing nearly identical products—each with similar features, price points, and two-day delivery. After a half hour of browsing, you choose earbuds from a brand you’ve bought from twice before and whose product is comparable to the others. You complete your purchase because the company’s excellent customer service, personalized follow-up emails, and interactive social media presence make you feel valued.
This headphone company has developed exceptional customer rapport, and it’s paid off: When customers have an abundance of options at a similar price, their decision to remain loyal to your brand can come down to this one crucial factor.
Here’s what customer rapport is and why it matters, plus how to craft rapport-building questions that create space for customers to share their unique needs.
What is customer rapport?
Customer rapport is a positive relationship between a customer and a business. Building rapport involves creating a genuine connection through friendly and empathetic communication, active listening, and mutual trust. Establishing rapport helps make customers feel valued and respected, improving their overall satisfaction with your brand, which can turn into coveted brand loyalty over time.
You can develop customer rapport in one-on-one interactions like customer service calls, but also through channels like social media and email. For example, you can engage customers on social media using polls or via email by sending personalized post-purchase messages. You can also build rapport through proactive customer service measures, like reaching out to customers when their package is delayed.
What are rapport-building questions?
Rapport-building questions are open-ended, personalized questions encouraging customers to speak openly. These questions demonstrate your curiosity and care beyond the transaction, making customers feel valued as individuals. They also allow customers to offer feedback and feel heard.
Benefits of building rapport with customers
- Increased customer satisfaction
- Easier conflict resolution
- Better feedback collection
- More sales opportunities
Here are four key benefits of building rapport with customers:
Increased customer satisfaction
Establishing rapport can increase customer satisfaction by making customers feel valued and understood. Strong customer rapport reaches beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to forge meaningful connections with individual consumers.
For example, instead of sending a generic email that opens with “Dear valued customer,” you could use past purchase data to address shoppers by name and recommend products that align with their preferences.
Over time, emphasizing your commitment to each customer and treating them like the individuals they are can create long-lasting relationships and cultivate customer loyalty.
Easier conflict resolution
Genuine rapport builds trust between you and your customers, making it easier to resolve issues like delayed packages or defective products. Fostering mutual respect and understanding by listening to customers’ concerns means they are more likely to be patient when mistakes occur and to collaborate on a positive outcome.
Better feedback collection
Customers who feel a deeper connection with your brand are more likely to provide constructive feedback about their customer experience since they know you value their voice and input. This can help you identify pain points in the customer journey and improve everything from product features to user experience (UX) design.
More sales opportunities
Building customer rapport can make customers more receptive to recommendations. For example, a customer who has experienced personalized customer rapport might view product recommendations as helpful rather than sales tactics.
Characteristics of good rapport-building questions
To craft effective rapport-building questions, consider these four criteria:
Open-ended
Open-ended questions encourage deeper conversations by inviting customers to share more than just a simple yes or no response. They allow customers to express their experiences, needs, and feedback in greater detail.
For example, instead of asking, “Are you happy with your purchase?” try, “What do you like most about your purchase?” These types of open-ended questions show genuine interest, make conversations feel more natural, and can help you glean valuable insights into customers’ experiences with your brand.
Genuine
Customers feel more connected to your brand if they sense you’re genuinely interested in what they have to say. To demonstrate genuine interest, use active listening techniques like nodding and paraphrasing. If speaking in person or on video, maintain eye contact and use positive body language, like smiling to show attentiveness. You can also ask thoughtful follow-up questions.
For example, if a customer mentions they need a product for a special event, you might say, “That sounds exciting! What kind of event are you preparing for?”
Personalized
Personalized rapport-building questions can facilitate meaningful conversations by showing customers that you see them as individuals—not just as transactions or numbers. Referencing a customer’s past purchases and queries can show your commitment to their specific concerns. When appropriate, you can also discuss personal interests to make the interaction more engaging and memorable.
For example, rather than saying, “How can I help you?” try, “I see you recently purchased [product], how has it been working for you?” The key is to be curious and specific. Avoid generic questions that could apply to anyone. You can also pay attention to non-verbal cues—like their tone of voice and facial expressions—to gain a deeper understanding of the customer’s emotional state and converse accordingly.
Professional yet conversational
Rapport-building questions strike a balance between being friendly and conversational while remaining appropriate. Ultimately, your rapport-building efforts should create a comfortable dialogue while maintaining mutual respect in a professional setting. Be warm and engaging, but avoid overly personal questions that might make the customer uncomfortable. Appropriate topics vary depending on their relevance to the conversation, so let the customer take the lead and only ask personal questions if they comfortably volunteer the information.
For example, let’s say you’re working with a customer to pick out a new winter jacket. It would likely make them uncomfortable—and even offended—if you said, “This one is a very bright red. Does your husband like red?” But the same response could be appropriate—and demonstrate genuine interest—if the customer divulged that they’re picking out a jacket as a birthday gift for their husband.
17 examples of rapport-building questions in common scenarios
- Helping a new customer pick the right product
- Responding to an inquiry about a delayed order
- Assisting with a return
- Engaging with customers on social media
- Sending post-purchase emails
Here are a few rapport-building questions to ask at five common customer touchpoints:
Helping a new customer pick the right product
Helping potential customers pick a product is a great opportunity to build rapport quickly. Ask questions that can give you a deeper understanding of the customer’s needs and preferences. This will help you suggest a product the customer will love while also helping you demonstrate your interest in the customer’s individual preferences.
Try asking:
- Where do you see yourself wearing this [garment or accessory]?
- What’s your preferred fit?
- How would you like your new purchase to be similar to or different from the [product type] you already own?
- How are you hoping to complement the style of your home with [product]?
- What frustrations are you looking to resolve with [product]?
Responding to an inquiry about a delayed order
When helping a customer with a delayed order, or any other negative experience with your brand, validate the customer’s frustration while finding a solution that makes them feel valued and cared for.
A negative customer experience is also an opportunity for you to demonstrate transparency by being open, honest, and clear about the situation. This can help you develop a trustworthy relationship. Use positive scripting techniques—which center affirmative, solutions-focused language—while tailoring the conversation to the individual customer.
Try asking:
- I completely understand how frustrating this must be. Can you tell me more about the situation?
- What can I do for you to help remedy the situation?
- Have you seen anything on our site you would like to exchange this order for?
Assisting with a return
Returns are an opportunity to ask rapport-building questions to solicit valuable feedback and show your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Ask questions that probe the customer’s reasoning while maintaining a positive tone:
- May I ask why this one didn’t work out for you?
- Can I help you find something that would work?
- How can I make this return experience easy for you?
Engaging with customers on social media
Social media is a great place to build strong rapport with customers and cultivate a community around your company. You can showcase your brand personality (the human traits associated with your brand, shaping how consumers connect to your company), gather information on what your customers value most, and encourage user-generated content (UCG).
You can ask rapport-building questions in standalone posts or in polls.
Here are a few questions to consider:
- What’s your favorite way to style a [product]?
- What’s most important to you when choosing a [type of product]?
- What would you like to see us make next?
Sending post-purchase emails
Sending post-purchase emails gives you an opportunity to show genuine care, collect feedback, and provide tailored product recommendations. Consider asking customers to identify particular places along the customer journey where you can improve:
- What do you like most about your recent purchase?
- How can we improve your shopping experience for next time?
- Would you like a personalized recommendation based on your last purchase?
Rapport building questions FAQ
What are the three criteria for rapport-building questions?
Rapport-building questions are open-ended, personalized, and professional.
What are some good rapport questions?
A couple of good rapport-building questions are, “Are you shopping for a special occasion” or “What do you like most about your recent purchase?”
What is an example of bad rapport-building?
Asking overly personal or intrusive questions can make customers feel uncomfortable, breaking rapport instead of building it.
