For financial advisors and small business owners who are focused on developing and retaining loyalty among clients, the remote workplace reality in the virus era increasingly has ratcheted up anxiety levels and posed new challenges as meetings have moved online.

Thirty-four percent of respondents in a new survey, conducted by the calendar and time management company Doodle and released Thursday, said they are putting in more work to prepare for virtual client meetings than they would have done for an in-person meeting.

offers statistics on how sales professionals feel after a week of virtual meetings

The survey of more than 1,100 workers also presented various ways that employees are trying to be "more dynamic, engaging presenters and participants" in virtual meetings.

"Taking steps to prepare for online client meetings, both as an organizer and as a participant will have profound impacts on customer relationships, engagements and loyalty," Renato Profico, CEO of Doodle, said in a statement. "Loyalty is a basic human trait that is hard won and the culmination of deliberate effort and wholehearted commitment. Yet, it hasn't been given the attention it deserves in the current discussions of how COVID-19 is impacting businesses."

responses to survey asking how has your new virtual method altered your client relationships

The coronavirus pandemic has put a strain on workforces across industries, forcing employees to collaborate more online and putting a strain on how employees interact with clients.

Nearly half of the respondents said they were conducting meetings outside of normal hours to help accommodate client schedules.

Doodle's survey suggested that professionals treat clients as "individuals, rather than as entities. Make every interaction—be it in an online meeting or in-person meeting—feel like it was customized to match your clients' needs, pain points and priorities."

A recent Deloitte report addressing customer loyalty and trust put it this way: "Every business has its most loyal customers, so decide what special services and resources you can supply to these valuable customers. Although all your customers are important, it may become necessary to make the decision to take care of these customers first."

responses to survey questions of what is your biggest fear in moving clients to online meetings

Another finding of the Doodle survey was that despite the move to virtual meetings, "client loyalty isn't as fragile or fleeting as you think." Thirty percent of the survey respondents said the new reality of virtual meetings had not dramatically impacted meeting attendance.

Close to half of the respondents said there was no difference in meeting cancellations in the virus era compared to before the pandemic.

"That poses an opportunity to get creative and find new ways of working with clients. It also means taking a proactive approach to communication and using digital tools and channels to share relevant information, provide useful content and deliver ongoing support and guidance during times of change," the Doodle survey said. "Most importantly, employees should let their clients know that they are available at any time to chat one-to-one, discuss strategies and act as a trusted advisor."

Mike Scarcella is a senior editor in Washington on ALM's regulatory desk. Contact him at mscarcella@alm.com. On Twitter: @MikeScarcella.

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Retaining client loyalty in the era of virtual meetings

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