Is the customer always right? 

That’s a constant argument amongst business professionals, but more than “right,” what your customer should be is happy. Making your client happy involves active listening, strategic engagement and effective client management. 

By reviewing and constantly adapting how you take care of, organise and interact with your clients, you will be able to engage with them in the most efficient manner that makes them feel valued. A valued client will be more loyal to your practice and, therefore, choose you as their primary or even only solution. 

Some client management styles include:

• Constant check-ins and informal “chats” 
• Formal satisfaction surveys
• Debriefing after every interaction, project or endeavour
• Using technology, emails or follow-ups to show they’re top of mind
• Invites to various social functions and events

Filtering clients in terms of urgency is also important, as you know who will need your attention in certain situations. This also works in terms of the services they’re paying for–a higher tier or class guarantees your attention at a more readily available rate. This entices clients at a lower tier or potential clients to seek out higher costing services because of the increased customer management.  

Organised strategies and management also help you handle difficult customers because you’ll be able to tackle their concerns much easier. 

Client management and service strategies aim to streamline all your interactions to make it easier to handle what they need and expect from you. With good client management and service strategies, you make your job easier, your client happier and your business better.

Why client management is important

Clients want the best of the best from you and your practice–it’s what they expect. If you offer them a service that will solve their problems, they want it done efficiently, quickly and with an emphasis on their satisfaction. Managing your service strategies and how you relate with your clients will only strengthen your solution delivery, making your practice stand out from the rest. 

When everything is organised and streamlined, you provide your clients with a better customer experience and quicker turnaround times, showing that you genuinely care about them and client management makes sure of that. 

Client management is important because it helps sales meeting engagements go smoothly and will help you build out frameworks in which you both operate. You have a better understanding of how to approach your customers and how you can service them to meet all their expectations, wants and needs. 

5 ways to effectively manage your clients

When you manage your clients effectively, you secure their trust through good customer experience and service. They feel like they can trust you and will want to come to your practice for your services when the need arises again. 

Here are five ways you can effectively manage them.

1. Establish communication channels

Being available to your clients means giving them the proper communication channels to reach you. If they have a preference–whether it’s via phone, email or even in-person meetings, you can figure out the best way to engage with them. You want them comfortable and confident, and catching them off guard on a medium they don’t like may turn them away. 

You can diversify your communication channels for your clients’ convenience, or you can keep everything uniform to make it easier for yourself. The downside to this is that not every client may be comfortable making a phone call or even composing an email. Still, having a dedicated avenue of communication will help you streamline your exchanges–it all depends on how flexible you are.

When you communicate well with your customers, they’ll feel more comfortable and are more likely to stay loyal–they love being listened to and feel cared for. 

2. Look into management systems or processes

Having your clients’ information is important, but storing it properly is just as much a necessity to make it easier for you to get in contact with them when necessary.

Simple or sophisticated systems both work–as long as you’re aware of how to work them and store all the information in an organised manner. You don’t need overly complex organising networks to make the best of your client communication, anything will do as long as it’s straightforward and helps you. 

Processes to input all your customers’ needs and expectations help you see what they want at a glance, making things move quicker. When your system is organised, you improve the customer service experience. 

3. Follow up 

It might seem counterintuitive but people appreciate follow-up emails or communication–whether it’s just to say thank you for meeting with you or to give them a heads-up about your future interactions. 

When you ask how someone’s doing and genuinely want to know the answer, they feel good. Double down by asking them how they prefer to be reached so they feel like you care enough about them to know which communication channel is the most convenient for them. 

Some clients need a lot of reminders–don’t be afraid to send them while cushioning them with personal questions asking how they’re doing to make your approach more personal, and less deadline originated. 

4. Set KPIs, goals and expectations

Getting the most out of your client engagement means that you need to know what your client needs, wants and expects. When you agree to KPIs that are measurable and are working toward the same goals the expectations of both parties (i.e. you and your client) become easier to manage. 

Each client will have different goals, make sure you know and refer back to them when dealing with your client. That way monitoring success becomes easier because the goals have been clearly articulated and understood. 

5. Always be honest

If you want to manage your service strategies and clients effectively, you need to be totally transparent and honest. If you lie to your clients or withhold information from them, they’ll stop trusting you and take their business elsewhere.

Honesty helps you forge a more personal, more tight-knit relationship with your clients. 

Managing your clients and service strategies helps you streamline your processes, ensures that you maximise your chances of a sale and even brings about closer and more personal relationships with your clients. 

When you manage carefully, deliberately and with genuine care for your clients, you secure their trust and loyalty, and become their go-to solution.

If you want to learn more about effective client management, give us a call.