Whether you are a freelancer or have a 9-5 job, client servicing can be challenging and stressful. It is not a cup of tea for everyone to earn clients’ satisfaction. A client can be unreasonable and can offer unattractive incentives. Here are some of the tips that may help you to understand your clients and their businesses efficiently.
Tip 1: Research about your client
When you set a meeting with your client, do thorough research on your client. This will help you to understand the kind of professional or businessman he is. Not only does this give you an idea about their professional life, but also you get to know how to communicate with this individual to make it more profitable for your job.
Tip 2: Study about their business
Whether it’s a small business or a well-reputed brand, you need to research about the business or the brand accurately. Knowing the business, its brand guidelines, and its products or services gives you the leverage to understand the project ins and outs you are assigned for. Understand the nature of the market so that you can offer something more superior to your client than its competitors.
Tip 3: Make a note of the brief
The key to success for a client servicing job is to understand a client’s brief properly and deliver results accordingly. If you do not note down every detail of the brief, there may have been a possibility of missing out on small details. For the completion of a successful project, you need to focus on every part of the brief so that you can tick the checklist later when the work gets done.
Tip 4: Maintain effective communication
Communication is the core need when you are working for your client. Let the client know about your understanding of the brief you have received. Be clear about what materials you need from them to come up with the expected outcome. From the first meeting to the completion period, update them about every stage of your work. Be specific to them about what tools are you going to use and how you plan to execute your strategies.
Tip 5: Share your expert opinion
When a client wants to work with you, he needs to feel confident relying on you. He may have selected you by analyzing your portfolio. However, when you share your knowledge and skills with him and act confident, you seem to be a reliable person. Let them know about your expertise and what value you can create for them.
Tip 6: Never make false promises
Set realistic expectations for your clients from the very first day of the contract. As with most situations we have come across in life, many of us have agreed to the unreasonable demands of clients. When we fail to meet those unrealistic expectations, this leaves a negative impression on ourselves even though we have tried our best to deliver the optimum result. Remember that unsatisfied clients will never refer you to anyone from their network.
Tip 7: Do not say ‘Yes’ immediately
Unreasonable clients may tend to come up with extra requirements, however, with zero monetary incentive. Take time and measure the required time and effort needed for that additional requirement. If you think it can be possible within your budget, let them know you are happy to do it. If that’s not the case, communicate with them politely with your reasoning. Because if you immediately say ‘yes’ to their requirement, but fail to deliver it, the client eventually will be unsatisfied.
Tip 8: Maintain professionalism
Whatever the mode of your communication is, it’s wise to carry yourself in a professional way. The email you write, the text you send, the words you use – everything says a lot about your personality and work ethics. No matter the client is casual or formal, try to remain professional. This proves that you are sincere about your work.
Tip 9: Communicate in case of delay
No matter you are a freelancer or a remote worker, we suggest you never miss the deadline. Meeting deadlines is important because this shows your competency. However, we may have our emergencies at various times. In such cases, let your client know that you are going to be delayed in submitting the deliverables. Because you need to understand from their point of view as well. What if the client expects to launch a website the next day, but he hasn’t been informed about your delay yet!
Tip 10: Cultivate your relationship
Building a strategic relationship with your existing clients is important, as this leads you to new opportunities. After handing over the deliverables, when you follow up, take their feedback and assist them in case of any maintenance of the project, this proves your sincerity to the work. Let them know about your positive experiences of working with them. When a client feels valued, he or she is more likely to spread positive word of mouth.