It can be a difficult question to ask. Mahlab Media’s Stuart Singleton discusses the importance of identifying the value you offer to your clients and the role client services plays in the maintaining the relationship.
Here’s an existential question to consider. If your company ceased to be, what impact would that have on your clients? It’s a question we all should be asking ourselves on a regular basis, but is often forgotten – particularly as relationships stretch out over time.What if your client gave an answer of zero? Then you’d quickly know your company’s position in relation to that client – and probably a whole host of others because your products are the same.
Regardless of how long you have worked with someone, there is always someone else ready to take the business. Your portfolio should not be taken for granted and your own company’s position in the market – relative to its competitors – should never be overestimated.
I mean, the gap between what we think we offer in value and what our clients value in essence is tricky.
If there are two products out there of equal value, exactly the same, and two different people serving them, you've got to choose one. It doesn't matter - it doesn't mean that you're wrong. Therefore, it's incredibly important to know what your competitors are doing and how your business’ offering differs.
Market perception and management
Ask yourself, what are they doing differently to us? And what aren't we doing right? It’s always good to have a bit of perspective on how you are viewed in the marketplace and by your customers.- Be a trusted advisor: You should be a trusted advisor, and truly believe that the advice you're giving is in the best interest of the client. If they decide not to accept that, well then you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on and work with other clients who share your vision.
- Ensure you are on the same page: We work in a creative industry and client briefs are generally pretty ‘wishy-washy’. They're all open to interpretation. So how do you manage that? For me it’s about the delivery of that creative service, as much as it is the product you get at the end. Client services therefore, can be a defining factor in how the business is rated.
- Establish a clear brief upfront: Do not leave room for misinterpretation when setting the original brief, so that you get it done efficiently and as expected by the client.
- Ask questions: It’s important to ask questions to understand what your clients really want to achieve and their reasoning behind this. ‘Why do you want to make this change to your website?’. ‘What's the purpose of this change?’
- Most importantly, ask 'Why?': I guess the key question to ask would be ‘Why?’. ‘Is there anything else I would need to know?’ that’s another good question to ask.
Don’t over promise
Stick to your plan, and don't over-communicate. More is less. You often get client services people talking in circles, and that's a really bad thing to do when you're pitching. If you can't anticipate the questions and have an answer for them, then you shouldn't be in the firing line.- Understand your products: Ultimately you've got to be comfortable and knowledgeable in the products that you've got and have a complete warehouse of questions and answers in mind before entering the room with your client.
- Fulfill your promise: It's a matter of doing what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it. If you can't – which sometimes you can't – you tell the client. It's much better to under-promise and over-deliver than vice versa.
- Be honest when problems arise: Swift acknowledgement and decisive action goes a long, long, way to mitigating a disaster.
- Be transparent: If you're going to be late, don't hide it. You've got to tell the client that something has happened and address any of the issues as soon as they've arrived. And, most importantly, always have a solution. Even if you haven't got one at hand, tell them you'll get back to them.
- Clarify responsibilities: You can't work miracles, especially when you rely on other people. We work with lots of different people to produce our products, and it's a collaborative process at the end of the day. Make sure that your clients know what you are responsible for – and what is outsourced.
You need to go in to each meeting with a clear understanding of what you want the outcome of that meeting to be.
Understand your company offering
Most importantly, have a complete understanding of what your products are and how you offer and deliver them. Then make sure that is clearly communicated to the client.If you enjoyed this, why not try one of these?
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