12 actionable ways to build customer rapport
Table of contents
Do you focus on making customers feel special as much as you focus on growing revenue?
I’ll tell you why this is important – customers today want an ‘experience’ when they interact with your business. Merely running offers or discounts is not enough. In fact, a study by Hiver found that 72% of customers would switch brands after a negative experience.
The product or price point isn’t the most important factor anymore. The experience you offer customers and how you make them feel is paramount.
Do you look at customers as sales opportunities? Or as real people who you want to genuinely help and build a rapport with?
In this guide, I’ll help shift your perspective from merely selling products to building genuine customer rapport. I’ll also show you how building rapport can turn one-time buyers into strong long-term advocates.
Table of Contents
- What is Customer Rapport?
- Why Should You Invest in Customer Rapport?
- 12 actionable ways to build customer rapport
- How do we build customer rapport at Hiver?
- Don’t create a checklist to build customer rapport
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Customer Rapport?
Customer rapport is the positive relationship businesses build with customers through trust, understanding, and personalized communication. It goes beyond looking at customers as transactions or a dollar value, and is about making customers feel valued, respected, and understood.
When done right, customer rapport can positively affect key metrics like retention rate and expansion rate.
For example, First Direct, an HSBC division, is renowned for its exceptional customer service. With an average call wait time of only 39 seconds—well below industry standards—they’ve built customer trust by training their staff to be empathetic, attentive, and solution-oriented.
Building rapport applies to every type of customer communication—whether through phone calls, emails, live chat, or video meetings. Authentic, personalized interactions matter more than following a rigid script.
Why Should You Invest in Customer Rapport?
Building customer rapport is not a tactic that can work overnight. It’s not going to scale your revenue in the short term.
When you focus on treating customers right and do it consistently, you’re bringing out a cultural change in the organization. You’re making everyone from C-level employees to frontline staff change their perspective from caring about revenue to caring about customers.
Bringing about this shift in mindset and culture has many tangible benefits.
Firstly, it puts you ahead of most of your competition. Why? Because most companies don’t do this. When was the last time you interacted with a company where you truly felt heard and happy? More often than not, we’re left frustrated when we interact with brands.
So, if you can focus on making customers feel special and giving them the best possible experience, you can easily stand out from the crowd.
Secondly, building rapport with customers can eventually turn one-time, casual buyers into advocates of your brand. It might take multiple interactions and conversations. But as I mentioned, you must play the long game here. Advocates are the customers who stick by you no matter what. Even when your business is going through a slump or a lull period.
12 actionable ways to build customer rapport
Now that we have a fair understanding of what customer rapport is and why it is important, let’s take a look at some strategies that can help you connect with customers better.
1. Be prompt with your responses
Timely responses show customers that you respect their time. But a Hiver study found that almost 73% of consumers have to wait longer than usual for getting their queries answered.
So, how do you meet customer expectations and respond faster?
- Set up automated acknowledgment emails: Send an automated message confirming receipt of inquiries. Follow up with a personalized response as soon as you have a solution. For example, if a customer emails about a product issue at 9AM, ensure they get an acknowledgment message immediately. The message can be something as simple as: “Thanks for reaching out! We’ve received your message and are working on it.”
- Use Chatbots to not keep customers waiting: Chatbots can handle straightforward questions on order status, account details, and basic troubleshooting. And they can do it 24/7. Also, when the issue is complex, the chatbot can route the customer to a live support agent.
- Implement live chat for real-time interactions: Offer the option for customers to chat with your support team on your website or mobile app. It’s a really fast way for them to receive human assistance.
- Prioritize inquiries based on urgency: It’s always a good idea to invest in a ticketing system. It allows you to categorize customer issues by urgency. The system ensures that high-priority issues like service outages can be addressed first, while less critical concerns can be responded to later.
2. Build a personal connect
Most support staff jump straight into solving the query—but there’s a better way to steer the customer interaction. This involves easing the person on the other side into the conversation.
Think about it: We connect better with people who show interest in us as individuals. In fact, 70% of customers say personalized experiences influence their buying decisions, according to a Salesforce report.
Pro Tip: Before a customer calls, check their LinkedIn profile or company website. Look for shared interests, recent career milestones, or mutual connections. It’s a simple way to spark a natural conversation.
Some questions you can ask to get to know your customers:
- “I saw you spoke at the Tech Leaders Summit last month—what was your key takeaway from the event?”
- “Congrats on your recent promotion to Marketing Director! How’s the new role going so far?”
While you’re at it, don’t forget to address the customer by their name.
Starting a conversation with such small talk makes the customer more comfortable and shows that you took the time to learn about them. But keep in mind that you might have to tailor your small talk based on your audience.
- Younger Customers (20s-30s): They prefer quicker conversations and mobile-friendly interactions. Keep your messages brief and direct.
- Older Customers (45+): They prefer phone calls or emails and are more comfortable with longer, detailed conversations. Be clear and thorough.
The more you understand customer preferences, the easier it is to tailor your approach. After every interaction, send a personalized follow-up message. Mention something specific from your conversation, it shows that you were paying attention.
3. Listen more actively
More often than not, support agents tend to follow a script. They aren’t listening to the customer but instead are waiting to provide a response that feels robotic.
This is something that can make customers feel ignored. And when that happens, building rapport becomes difficult. The answer, however, lies in being able to ‘actively listen’ to customers and respond accordingly. What does this mean?
Active listening is more than hearing what the customer is saying—it’s about going one step deeper and understanding what the customer truly needs.
“Listening is not just about hearing words; it’s about understanding the complete message being communicated. This level of attentiveness signals to customers that their satisfaction is a priority”, says Annette Franz, CX Journey Inc.
So, how can you practice active listening?
- Acknowledge and reflect back: Show you’re paying attention by paraphrasing the issue. For example, you can say, “So, if I understand correctly, you’re experiencing delays when exporting reports, especially after last week’s update. Is that right?”
- Ask clarifying questions: If something isn’t clear, ask follow-up questions like, “Can you walk me through what happens right before the issue occurs?”
- Avoid distractions: During customer calls, eliminate distractions by using noise-canceling headphones, closing unrelated tabs, and maintaining eye contact (in case of a video call).
- Respond with purpose: Replace scripted empathy with actionable responses. For instance, if a customer says, “I’ve been dealing with this issue for weeks,” respond with: “Thank you for sticking with us while we troubleshoot this. Let me escalate this to our tech team for faster resolution. They’ll reach out to you in the next 2 hours.”
Pro Tip: You can show that you’re paying attention by using simple words like “okay” or “I see” while the customer is talking.
4. Showcase empathy
We all know those days when you’re swamped with tickets. Where giving each customer your full attention can be super hard. Sometimes, you might even think, “Here we go again…”
However, the one thing you must always remember when interacting with customers is to be empathetic. Customers aren’t tickets; they are real people with real problems.
“The ability to understand and share the feelings of another—is fundamental. It’s about seeing the world through their eyes, which is crucial for anyone working on the front lines, whether in a contact center or a hotel desk. These are the people who truly understand what’s happening in customers’ lives,” says Greg Melia – CEO of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) – on Hiver’s Experience Matters Podcast.
It’s about placing yourself in the shoes of the customer and imagining how you’d feel if you faced the same issue. When a frustrated customer reaches out to you, start with, “I’m sorry. I understand…..”
Another tactic to cultivate empathy is to encourage your agents to go into customer interactions without scripts. GoDaddy did this and they’ve seen a lot of success. It makes conversations feel more natural and free-flowing.
5. Ask a lot of open-ended questions
Open-ended questions get customers talking. It gives them the opportunity and space to describe their experience in detail.
Instead of asking a customer, “Is our tool working for you?” try, “What’s your favorite way to use our tool?”
The latter gets them to share their experience in much more detail and might even give you insights you weren’t expecting. It also shows the customer that you’re interested in knowing about their experience.
Here are some of the most common and effective open-ended questions you can ask to gauge what your customers are feeling:
- What challenges did you face while using our product/service?
- What is the one thing that would improve your experience with us?
- What would make you recommend us to a friend?
- How has our product/service impacted your daily life?
- If you could change one thing about our product/service, what would it be?
- How do you feel about the pricing of our products/services?
- How would you describe your overall experience with our brand?
- How do you prefer to communicate with us, and why?
- How do you feel about the value you receive from our product/service?
- How can we ensure that you feel valued as a customer?
Many users agree that asking better questions encourages customers to share more. This, in turn, helps you better understand their needs and pain points. You can’t build rapport without knowing your customers, can you?!
Keep in mind that the goal isn’t just to ask questions for the sake of it – it’s to ask questions that are relevant and have a purpose.
Pro tip: Ask open-ended questions as part of your quarterly survey. Mix them up with multi-choice questions.
6. Use jargon-free language
A lot of rapport building is down to how you speak and what you speak (or write). This is why it’s important to use clear and simple communication to engage with customers. Avoid industry jargon or technical terms that might confuse them. You don’t want customers following up to clarify things. Here’s an example:
❌ Your request is pending SLA validation
✅ We’re received your request and are currently reviewing it. We will get back to you in 24 hours.
Jargon-free communication shows that you respect for your customers’ time and want to solve their issues quickly yet effectively. Whether you’re explaining a feature, or answering a query, always aim for clarity and simplicity.
Here’s a helpful trick: Test your communication with someone outside your industry. If they understand it without asking for clarification, you’re on the right track!
7. Reverse mentoring
Reverse mentoring is an approach where a junior employee takes on the role of a mentor for a senior employee. This concept, inspired by Jack Welch’s “reverse mentoring” program in the 1990s, is as relevant today as ever. At GE, Welch paired senior executives with younger employees to learn about emerging technologies like the Internet.
You can adopt a similar approach in your organization but with a slight twist – you pair younger, tech-savvy customers with senior employees from your support or product team. The younger demographic are always a step or two ahead, and there’s a lot of learning that you can come from such a setup.
Their feedback might reveal creative applications you hadn’t considered, helping to shape the product roadmap in impactful ways. They might even tell you about how they prefer to interact with your business, at what capacity, and for what reasons – these insights can further shape your customer support strategy.
Pro tip: Create a “Customer Innovation Panel” where enthusiastic power users can regularly share insights and test new features before launch. This approach helps collate actionable feedback and creates a sense of collaboration.
Reverse mentoring isn’t just about gathering feedback. It’s about evolving alongside your customers and creating products that truly meet their needs.
8. Practice the FORD method
Not sure how to start a conversation with a customer? This is where the FORD Method can help. This popular technique helps build rapport by helping you focus on four key areas: Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams.
John DiJulius, a leading expert in customer experience, developed this approach after noticing that people naturally open up when asked about these key areas of their lives.
Why? Because talking about what matters most creates an instant connection. Here’s how you can apply it:
- Family: Ask about loved ones or life events. Example: “How’s your daughter adjusting to college?”
- Occupation: Show interest in their career. Example: “What’s the most exciting part of your job?”
- Recreation: Follow up on hobbies or interests. Example: “How’s your marathon training going?”
- Dreams: Explore future goals. Example: “What personal goal are you excited to tackle this year?”
9. Anticipate customer queries before they arise
Have you ever received help before you even realized you needed it? It feels pretty great, right?
As a business, you can do this by instilling a culture of proactive service. It’s where you’re always ahead of the customer by a few steps and are able to anticipate their needs and address them.
For example, if your platform tracks subscription renewals, send customers a proactive reminder such as: “Your subscription is expiring soon—here’s how to renew in just a few clicks.”
If there’s an upcoming downtime due to maintenance, inform your customers beforehand so that they aren’t kept in the dark. Set up a chatbot that offers personalized tips and nudges them to try new features, based on how every user interacts with your product or service.
Amazon sends notifications in case of delivery delays, with real-time updates and alternative solutions. This ensures customers are informed beforehand and that they don’t have to contact support for the same.
When you anticipate customer needs and provide helpful solutions upfront, you build trust and loyalty. Customers who feel supported—without having to ask for it—are more likely to become lifelong advocates for your brand.
10. Use Customer Advisory
To make your customers feel like true partners, consider establishing a Customer Advisory Board (CAB)—a trusted circle of users who provide honest feedback and help shape your company’s future.
Hold CAB meetings monthly, quarterly, or at a frequency that works for your business. Use these sessions to gather product feedback, discuss upcoming features, and co-create solutions that align with your customers’ needs.
In fact, between 2019 and 2021, there was a 52% increase in organizations using advisory boards as part of their governance structure. This shows the importance of customer-driven decision-making in business strategy.
Why does this matter?
- Get honest feedback: Your customers know your product best. Involving them helps get valuable feedback that can drive meaningful improvements.
- Customers feel valued: Actively involving your customers in your company’s decision-making processes shows them that their voices matter.
Pro tip: Establish clear meeting agendas and goals for each session. Incorporate surveys or product demos to provide clarity and validate ideas on new or upcoming features, ensuring discussions remain focused and actionable.
11. Mirroring Technique
In his book To Sell is Human, Daniel Pink says, “Mirroring your customer’s language is a powerful tool; it shows empathy and a sign of trust.”
Mirroring is a natural, easy way for businesses to build rapport with customers. It involves subtly matching a customer’s tone, language, and even body language (if you’re speaking in person). For example, if a customer’s email is formal, keep your response formal. If they’re more casual and toss in emojis, lighten up your tone to match.
This approach works just as well during face-to-face conversations. If a customer leans forward while speaking, mirror their posture to show engagement. If they’re speaking slowly and calmly, adjust your tone to match. These small gestures help create comfort and familiarity.
Pro tip: Keep it subtle. The goal isn’t to mimic every move but to naturally reflect the customer’s style to make them feel understood and at ease.
These small adjustments—both verbal and nonverbal—can make your conversations feel more connected, genuine, and productive!
12. Create a user community forum
Sometimes, you can build customer rapport by taking a back seat and letting customers interact with each other. Creating a user community is a great way to do this.
It can help your users network with their peers, collaborate on problem solving, and exchange tips about using your product or service. Think of it as a collaborative space where your customers can learn and share experiences with each other.
For example, Microsoft’s Power Platform community forum allows users to discuss challenges, share innovative solutions, and even collaborate on projects. It’s a thriving hub where you can learn from your peers and feel part of a larger community.
A well-moderated forum also serves as a channel to collate customer feedback and understand commonly recurring questions. Knowing these things can help you shape the product roadmap and also create content for your knowledge base.
Pro tip: Reward active contributors with badges or exclusive perks, like early access to features. This encourages engagement and can position your forum as a valuable resource.
How do we build customer rapport at Hiver?
Hiver is a AI-powered customer support platform. We’re on a mission to make it as effortless as possible for support teams to help their customers. But in this journey, if there’s one thing that means the most to us, it is how we build rapport and relationships with our users.
One of the reasons 10,000+ users love Hiver is because of the quality of support and assistance we offer. We aim to be responsive, approachable and empathetic. Every interaction is an opportunity to show that we care, whether it’s through proactive support, thoughtful updates, or simply listening to feedback.
This is reflected in the fact that we provide 24/7 human-led support to ensure every customer gets timely and personalized help. We don’t want to toot our own horn; see for it yourself:
Don’t create a checklist to build customer rapport
As we’ve explored throughout this blog, building lasting customer rapport isn’t about checking off tasks—it’s about doing what it takes to foster genuine connections.
Whether you’re practicing active listening, putting yourself in the shoes of the customer, or setting up a customer advisory board, you must not forget to be authentic.
If you’re starting off, choose one or two strategies from the list above. You could maybe start with sending an automated acknowledgement email whenever customers reach out to you, or getting your support team to practice active listening.
As these habits become routine, expand your efforts by adding more advanced techniques, such as creating a loyalty program or conducting personalized onboarding sessions.
Keep in mind that customers are more than just a dollar value. They’re doing business with you because they trust you. As much as you want to grow your bottom line, it’s important to reciprocate this trust, make them feel heard, and ensure they have a delightful experience every single time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a customer rapport?
Customer rapport is the positive connection and trust built between a business and its customers. It involves making customers feel valued, understood, and respected.
2. How can a business build customer rapport?
You can build customer rapport by:
- Listening actively: Pay attention to their concerns and confirm understanding.
- Personalizing interactions: Address the customer by name and do not follow scripts.
- Showing empathy: Acknowledge emotions and offer thoughtful solutions.
- Being prompt: Respond to inquiries and issues in a timely manner.
- Asking open-ended questions: Encourage meaningful dialogue.
