A guide to networking and customer accounting

Introduction

In today’s world, finding new customers is a challenge that every business faces. However, it is equally important to be able to retain your customers and build long-term relationships with them. Networking and customer accounting help with this.

In this article, I will reveal the concepts of “networking” and “accounting” and give some recommendations for improving them. First of all, this article will be useful to all novice project managers and sales managers.

Networking

Networking is the process of establishing and developing mutually beneficial relationships between people, businesses or organizations. It helps to form a circle of useful contacts, expand your business opportunities and find new customers. The basis of this process is personal communication.

As a rule, networking is held in special events, conferences, forums where you can meet people interested in your industry. However, networking can also be carried out in an online format – through social networks, specialized business platforms, etc.

Basic principles of networking:

Be proactive. Don’t wait for someone to come to you on their own, start making contacts and communicating with potential customers yourself.
Participate in events, conferences, forums where you can meet people interested in your industry. This will allow you not only to establish new contacts, but also to gain valuable knowledge and experience.
Get ready to chat. Prepare an elevator pitch that is short and clear about your business and what you do. This will help you make a good impression on potential customers.
Don’t forget about maintaining relationships. Try to communicate regularly with potential and existing clients, remind about yourself and your activities. This will help you strengthen relationships and get new opportunities for cooperation.
Do not meet people in order to get some benefit from them, to sell them something. Having such an attitude and insufficient networking experience, you will not intentionally, but “burn” your intention and miss the chance to expand your contacts. Better go with the idea that you want to help the person, and then only if he really needs your help. Also, there is no need to think of help as some kind of business proposal. Networking is, first of all, an installation personal mutually beneficial relationships. Therefore, you can offer personal assistance as well.

Here are some tips to help you network:

Find places to meet people in your industry, but not just at professional events. For example, if you like sports, you can try to attend group classes or interest clubs.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to new people and start a conversation. Pay attention to them, ask questions, show that you are interested in their ideas and opinions.
Find common interests with your new acquaintances. This will help you forge deeper and longer lasting relationships.
Remember that networking is a two-way process. Help other people when they need your help and they will also be ready to help you.

Accounting

Customer Accounting is the process of managing relationships with your customers. It is important to remember that each client is unique and requires an individual approach. To ensure long-term relationships with your customers, you must understand their needs and expectations.

There are various methods of customer accounting, including CRM systems and regular project reviews. CRM-systems help in managing contacts with customers, and also allow you to track the history of your relationship with them. Regular review of projects helps you evaluate your work and also allows you to evaluate the progress of your clients in their business. However, if your company does not have its own CRM system, or if you work for yourself and do not want to spend money on it, then you can use less adaptive, but simple and free resources.

List of free online platforms for customer accounting (from simple to complex):

Notion, by the way, is not a straightforward tool. But it has a lot of chips that you can fully adapt to yourself as you want. Trello, Asana and Jiro – in general, almost the same thing, but there is nothing to even say about Google Sheets.

Here are some tips to help you set up customer accounts:

Establish regular communication with your clients. Send them news about your company, ask how their projects are going, and offer help if they need it.
Conduct regular project reviews. Discuss with clients their progress, evaluate the performance of your company, and discuss possible improvements.
Create a feedback system. Ask customers what they lack, what they like and dislike, and use that information to improve your services.
Help clients achieve their goals. Provide them with guidance and advice, help them find solutions, and strive to be helpful in every possible way.
Maintain personal relationships with your clients. Find common interests and learn more about them as individuals. This will help you forge deeper and longer lasting relationships.

Differences between “networking” and “accounting”

Networking and customer accounting are two different practices, albeit related.

Networking is the process of making connections with people in your industry who can help you in your career.

Customer Accounting is the process of managing relationships with your customers, including establishing communication, creating a feedback system, and helping them achieve their goals.

The main difference between the two practices is that networking is about connecting with people new to you, while customer accounting is about managing relationships with your (existing) customers.

Conclusion

Networking and customer accounting are two key practices that will help you become a successful manager. Networking will help you connect with other people in your industry, while customer accounting will help you manage relationships with your customers and ensure their satisfaction. Try to use these tools as effectively as possible, gaining personal experience and studying the theory even deeper. I hope these practices will help you achieve success in your career. They have helped me personally 🙂