Everyone has been on the receiving end of bad client relation service. It always ends up sounding a lot like “I would have been able to handle that situation a lot better”, or “This would never have happened in my office, or with my team”.However, there are always unseen circumstances that come into play, and no matter how much we try to guarantee that our own client service relationships are top notch, we all end up having to make up for some kind of mishap.
Tension arises with clients when expectations are not met in the eyes of the client. If this is not possible, it is not worth doing business with the client, whether you are doing sales, marketing or development work. Here are a few tips (adapted and compiled with the help of About.com and DesignConstruct) that will help you manage client relations both short and long term:
1. When things go wrong and the client knows, call. Email does not always translate circumstances or feelings well as there is no voice inflection and a client usually places more value on a phone call. Discuss the situation and have solutions ready! Also have a time line ready for implementing the solutions and resolving the problems. Be sure you can deliver on the timeline; this will restore confidence. People in crisis situations feel less stress when they know what to expect. When you execute the solutions and the client is aware of this they will increase their confidence in you and relax more.
2. When things go wrong and the client doesn't know, it is still a good idea to let them know. This is not always the case, but in my experience, more often than not it resolves more potential problems than it causes and shows your integrity. The majority of the time your client will find out about the problem anyway. It also allows your client to suggest possible solutions that you may have overlooked, which can only be done if the client is aware of the situation or problem.
3. Have solutions ready for clients when there are problems. Do not expect them to tell you what to do. Offer them solutions and ask for their thoughts. This shows the client that you have thought about the problem and have it under control.
4. Do not promise what you cannot deliver. It is always better to “under promise and over deliver” as they say. This is critical in the above scenarios and always true with clients. Set realistic timelines and budgets and add a little padding so you can absolutely deliver what you promised and then some. This will pay off in spades. Clients will be more likely to refer you and more likely to use you in the future.
5. Add value to you and your business by bringing the client ideas. New pitches, marketing strategies, anything that is of value that will help move the client’s business forward will be appreciated. This may lead to additional revenue in your contract and increased loyalty. The drawback comes when a client starts spending a lot of your time talking about new ideas. It is important to be careful with this one. Be sure that the relationship is set up so everyone respects one another’s time.
6. Client/worker relationship can be described through work between two persons. How your clients perceive you as a worker can be easily translated to judging you as a human being if work is the only determinant for your relationship. With that said it is easy to fall into the habit of responding to requests or answer daily tasks like a pre-programmed robot.
