Client satisfaction starts with meeting or beating the contractual obligations of the relationship. There are also some intangibles that can help you to over deliver to a client.
Meetings
In most organizations it's easy to deliver additional value around meetings, because statistically, most companies run meetings poorly. Capture important notes during your meetings and then deliver your neatly typed notes consistently with your client's format. Not only will it allow you to capture the main ideas and benefit of important discussions, but it will almost always be appreciated by your client's team members. Send this as soon after the meeting as possible.
Proactively help to define the agendas and outcomes for each meeting. Help keep things on track and try to meaningfully contribute towards these goals. Become highly proficient at running successful meetings.
If there are action items for other team members that are critical to your projects success, tactfully contact the team member and offer your help if it makes sense. Keeping the project on track internally helps you accomplish your goals as a consultant and you'll be viewed favorably as a team player.
Reports
Delivering quality reports during your client engagement will enhance your image as a consultant because they're so visible to the internal team members. In your earliest meeting possible get together with the client and define parameters for the report format and content. Every client has different needs so don't assume that your template doesn't need to change. Information important to one client is not interesting to another. Define up front what works and then deliver it.
As with the rest of your communications, a picture is worth a thousand words. You or your staff should become proficient at producing flow charts, Gantt charts, performance charts and architectural diagrams. Drawings in your report that communicate an abundance of information make it easy to use.
Perfect the art of the executive summary. For busy executives in the client organization, sometimes they'll only want a one page summary. Make sure it communicates the key issues of the report. If they want more information, they'll drill down.
Accessibility
Make it easy to contact you around the clock using email, phone, or mobile. The more you're as accessible as internal team members the more you will be regarded as one. Have backup plans when you know you're not going to be available. Proactively contact your clients letting them know if there will be a period of time they won't be able to get a hold of you and give them some alternative options.
Profit Engineering
Our company focuses on profit engineered technology, that is, how we maximize the ROI on the technology we deploy. We pay attention to the business process, the costs of the process and try to achieve the best solution possible that will impact the bottom line for our client. And we're also pretty good at communicating this to the client so they can appreciate our responsible efforts.
About The Author
Bryan Brandenburg has published 5 books as well as a number of articles both in print and on the internet. He has published almost 30 software programs both for consumers and business. More information can be found at www.vmmg.net.
Is your restaurant, bar or hotel clean? I mean really... Read More
Whether online or off, if you plan on running or... Read More
Those of us in home based and small businesses are... Read More
Customer service is an essential component of any business. Clearly,... Read More
The buzz is all about customer service and call center... Read More
Customer service is increasingly seen as one of the most... Read More
One of my classes in management focused on the repeat... Read More
Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining... Read More
One thing all successful small business owners have in common... Read More
Oh, what has happened to the carbon-based organizational interface? Many... Read More
Regardless of what business you are in - you are... Read More
If you are up to your ears in a stressful... Read More
Ever notice how customer service varies from store to store?... Read More
In this day of terrible customer service, it should come... Read More
Are wholesale buyers and retail customers really different? Frankly, there... Read More
It's a salesperson's worst nightmare- the phone call that comes... Read More
Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up more insight... Read More
Why is it that Microsoft wants you to buy its... Read More
Quest for new clients shouldn't ignore those who pay the... Read More
Have you ever been in a department store and known... Read More
If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of... Read More
In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More
I returned a rental car at an airport yesterday. As... Read More
It's possible that in the course of your business dealings,... Read More
"Mountains are built one pebble at a time and climbed... Read More
Periodically every sales person encounters the customer who refuses to... Read More
Despite rumors to the contrary, the Web is not dead.... Read More
The President of a 200+ store division of a major... Read More
One of the most important questions people ask when they... Read More
It's just a simple thing ? I bought a new... Read More
Which is more important the technology or the customer?The one... Read More
Client satisfaction starts with meeting or beating the contractual obligations... Read More
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't... Read More
Many years ago, I was a first year apprentice assigned... Read More
When was the last time you received a handwritten note... Read More
Would you like to have customers that stay with you... Read More
Welcome to the inaugural issue of Human Tech Tips --... Read More
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is one of those magnificent concepts... Read More
When people ask, "What is CRM?" the literal answer is,... Read More
It is important to remember that the customer doesn't necessarily... Read More
There are two Post Offices that I routinely visit. One... Read More
If you think customer relationship management is just a piece... Read More
You know how it is, you believe something for so... Read More
Winning Customer ExperiencesMuch research has been done on what the... Read More
It all started a couple of weeks ago when a... Read More
No matter how hard you try, in business you simply... Read More
Last night I was at my computer and a Skype... Read More
When all else fails in your company to meet the... Read More
Q: I just discovered that for the past six months... Read More
"Hi this is Randy. Leave me a message after the... Read More
Customer Service Customer Service |
|