A company’s reputation largely depends on the quality of the relationships that employees establish with clients and customers. Always have this in mind.
You don’t always have to agree with clients and have the same opinion, but the only correct way to successful collaboration is appropriate and adequate communication.
What is effective client communication?
Do you know how to communicate with clients appropriately and how to meet their expectations?
A quality customer relationship is one of the essential factors in today’s business world.
It depends on this relationship whether companies will provide customers with precisely what they want and need and whether they will be able to keep them or leave them to the competition.
A dissatisfied customer will share their experience with more people than a satisfied customer will do.
Although communication with clients can sometimes be challenging, with adequate knowledge, it is possible to establish a quality and productive relationship.
With a positive attitude, each employee can successfully communicate with a client and solve the most challenging situations to mutual satisfaction.
What approaches do you use to connect with clients?
Do you know to properly approach the client and establish a relationship that will benefit all parties involved?
The worst situation a company may find itself in is not meeting the clients’ expectations.
It is often more important how you say something than what you say. Communication with clients should always be professional, convincing, and determined.
People differ in their emotions, experiences, attitudes. All of this affects different perceptions of the same situation. The more the opinion differs, the higher is the misunderstanding and communication becomes more difficult.
Collaborating and working with other people requires knowledge and skills. It’s all up to you. You can’t change other people and their personalities, but you can change yourself, the way you react, and approach others.
Six ways to improve communication with clients
We cannot avoid other people’s opinions and expectations, but we can adopt effective strategies to improve and increase positive attitude and communication in challenging situations. We can develop communication skills and work on a professional approach that will result in the best possible outcome.
Here are six ways to help you communicate with the clients and meet their expectations:
1. Start your project right and manage clients‘ expectations
The first meeting with the client is the most important. It will help you define all the requirements, hear the client’s expectations, set the goals, and shape the project’s development.
Every client is different. Set clear expectations and standards from the start so that the client knows what to expect from you. Therefore, every time you get a new client, it is necessary to reach an agreement and define the project workflow.
Emphasize acceptable things in doing business with you. Clients will appreciate clarity and sincerity.
2. Practice active listening
Active listening is the ability to precisely perceive what the other person is going through and offer them feedback on what we have noticed.
You do not need any special preparation for active listening. You have to avoid prejudices, assumptions or expectations in the conversation with the client. Be present, open, and listen actively to what the client is telling you.
Make sure that you act on client feedback. If you carefully receive all the information that the people you work with present to you, there is less possibility of ambiguities, misunderstandings and doubts.
Ask additional questions, sub-questions, and paraphrase your client to make sure you understand him/her well. To perceive means to repeat what we have heard, explain what we have understood, and see how much it coincides with what the person wants to tell and explain.
When you pay attention to what a person is saying, you instill confidence and make the relationship stronger and more reliable.
Collect client feedback regularly to determine to which degree you are meeting their expectations. Feedback will help you make the necessary changes in your approach and become more successful in doing business.
3. Be careful not to set deadlines too soon
When it comes to deadlines, they are a significant source of disagreement between clients and developers.
A key aspect of doing business with any client is managing their expectations. To avoid any communication problems and unrealistic requirements and goals, explain the project’s course to your client.
Sometimes clients present their project as very simple and in a way that it will not take much time. You have to set deadlines based on the size of the project, the scope of tasks, desired requirements, and the options at your disposal.
It is important to set project deadlines from the very beginning of project development.
4. Ask clients for concrete examples of what they like and don’t like
It takes a lot of time to create the solution that the client requires. Due to a lack of communication and feedback, you and the client may have two very different definitions and visions of design.
It is essential to be clear from the start and check with the clients what they want and what they like. During the first few meetings, be as detailed and precise as possible.
Let the client show you an example of a design acceptable to him and how he would like the page to look. This will help you jointly determine the direction the client wants to go.
5. Regular communication with a client is crucial
Always respond to the client’s messages and requests on time.
Regular communication with the client and checking previous tasks can help prevent unnecessary problems and make clients satisfied.
You don’t always have to negotiate live with clients and be in meetings with them. You can also send a short update on the current situation to clients via email or phone call. This is an opportunity to resolve any doubts and any additional questions you may have on time.
Show the client that everything is going according to plan and schedule and that his project is your priority. Update your client regularly on all critical information.
Clients are the ones who are experts in a particular industry, and we don’t always see things from the same perspective as them. Here feedback plays a critical role. Creating a client feedback strategy and listening to your clients is crucial for your business and growth.
Be honest and transparent about what’s going on with the project. Clients will appreciate it. They will be excited when something good is in store and will understand if something unpredictable happens.
Clients are looking for quick answers and reactions. If you have agreed on a deadline, it is up to you to meet it.
6. Offer a solution
You have to accept clients’ suggestions and wishes. The client doesn’t care if you had a bad day or you are tired. The client expects a specific service, and it is up to us to meet those expectations.
Mistakes can happen to everyone. If you make a mistake, you should immediately apologize and accept responsibility and offer an adequate solution or compensation.
Admit your mistake and convince the client that you can meet expectations in the future.
A small sign of attention can often reverse a negative situation, and also make a positive impression in the end.
However, keep in mind that you will generally be able to meet your client’s expectations if you are professional, have established appropriate rules and processes, and if you keep your promises.
A satisfied client is essential for a stable business. Today, companies are increasingly trying to understand their customers’ behavior and develop a quality partnership and friendly relationship with them.
Finally, don’t forget…
Having reliable and professional customer service that will meet your customers’ expectations is essential for a good business.
Meeting client’s expectations isn’t always easy, but it’s not impossible.
Always find ways to improve customer service and further exceed your customers’ expectations. Discover clients specific needs and communication style that suits them. Try to meet their expectations and meet the requirements you defined at the beginning.
In the end, we are all human. Each of us can have a bad day or make a mistake. But at the end of the day, we all have a chance to fix it.
Knowing and understanding the client’s needs and desires, strengths, habits, and decision-making process when making a purchase is crucial.
Remember that communication is the key to success. Don’t lose it.
Are you tired of communication where agencies can’t hear you? If you are ready to change that, Async Labs is here to meet your expectations and make your business recognizable.
Contact us and see why all our collaborations with clients are long-term!