Melissa Fors Shackelford is an award-winning healthcare marketing executive with over 20 years of experience driving growth initiatives. She has led transformative marketing initiatives for renowned Fortune 50, nonprofit and startup organizations. A recognized thought leader and sought-after advisor, Melissa is a frequent speaker and writer on healthcare branding and ethics. She was named one of the Top 50 Women in Healthcare in 2025, and earned the American Marketing Association’s Nonprofit Marketer of the Year award in 2019. Melissa holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and serves on multiple healthcare and advisory boards.
Trust has always been the foundation of successful customer relationships, yet in today’s challenging business environment, trust is more fragile than ever. Customers are growing more and more skeptical, questioning organizations’ motives, pricing practices, and commitment to transparency. For C-suite executives, building and maintaining trust isn’t just a theoretical goal, it can be a strategic advantage that drives customer loyalty, strengthens relationships, and differentiates companies in highly competitive industries.
Why Trust Matters in Customer Relationships
Trust is what turns one-time buyers into repeat customers and transactional relationships into long-term partnerships. It turns customers into customers-for-life. In business to business (B2B) models, trust ensures that clients see you as a reliable partner who delivers consistent value to them. In consumer channels (B2C), it’s what keeps your customers loyal when they have many other options and access to online reviews.
Across all industries, trust is continually tested by misinformation, inconsistent communication, and the appearance of solely profit-driven motives. By embracing transparency, consistency, and empathy, organizations can combat these challenges directly and position themselves as trusted leaders to gain competitive advantage.
Critical Pillars of Building Trust with Customers
Transparency: Customers want clear and accessible information. Whether it’s about pricing, processes, or company values, this openness builds trust and confidence. One example is Netflix’s approach to pricing where they openly communicate any price changes and provide clear reasons to justify the shift. This transparency reduces customer frustration and builds credibility.
Consistency: Trust builds over time through positive experiences with an organization. Consistency across your websites, apps, social media, and live interactions with your staff makes sure customers feel they can rely on your organization.
Empathy: Addressing customer concerns, fears, and aspirations demonstrates that you care. When communication reflects genuine appreciation and empathy, customers feel valued, which in turn creates stronger connections.
Practical Strategies to Build Trust with Customers
- Combat Misinformation: Leverage social media and thought leadership to provide accurate, fact-based information. Partner with credible sources to counteract false narratives when necessary. For example, a pharmaceutical company might collaborate with healthcare professionals to publish content combatting vaccine myths to build its credibility with customers.
- Personalized Experiences: Use modern marketing tools to tailor communication to each customer rather than do mass communication. Personalization in follow-ups, recommendations, and communication shows customers they’re more than a number to you.
- Authentic Storytelling: Share customer testimonials or behind-the-scenes stories to humanize your brand regardless if your model is B2B or B2C. Authenticity resonates in ways that generic sales pitches cannot.
- Digital Engagement Tools: Meet customers where they are. Apps, portals, and personalized email campaigns make communication uniform and interactive. Two-way communication builds stronger relationships as customers can see that you are listening.
- Proactive Problem Resolution: Demonstrate a commitment to your customer’s satisfaction by addressing issues quickly. For example, some software companies proactively issue software updates to address performance issues, reassuring customers that they are valued. This proactive approach builds credibility, confidence and trust in the brand.
The Role of Trust in Brand Differentiation
In highly competitive markets, trust can set your organization apart. For instance, financial institutions like USAA are consistently ranked among the most trusted brands due to their unwavering commitment to customer service, transparency, and clearly stated ethics. By making trust a core piece of your business strategy, your organization can create a unique position in the market that is a clear differentiator from the competition.
Furthermore, trust can have a direct impact on an organization’s profitability. According to the annual Trust Barometer study published by Edelman, 81% of customers say they need to trust a brand to buy from them. Companies that prioritize trust have higher customer retention rates, lower acquisition costs, and greater lifetime customer value. For C-suite executives at organizations in competitive markets, this reiterates the critical need to invest in building and sustaining trust as part of their overarching business strategy.
The Ongoing Commitment to Trust
Building trust with customers is not a one-time project; it has to be seen as a strategic priority. It requires actively listening to customer feedback, and constantly evolving to meet ever-changing customer expectations. For C-suite executives, investing in trust is an investment in an organization’s long-term success. By making transparency, consistency, and empathy foundational to your strategy, you can create deeper connections with customers, build loyalty, and position your organization as a partner they can rely on. By prioritizing trust an organization will differentiate itself from its competitors.
In an era of skepticism, trust is one of your most valuable tools for strengthening relationships and driving sustained growth. By prioritizing trust, your organization can not only weather the challenges of today’s business environment but also thrive in the face of them.