So, client focus and intimacy can both be developed very early on.
Reliability and credibility are slightly different though, but we can look at them both at the same time.
Reliability is really all about doing what you say you are going to do.
Its about responding to emails promptly, returning answer machine messages, attending meetings on time and being prepared, delivering against expectations, and more.
Credibility is about knowing your stuff. If you are providing a specialist service to a client, they have probably called you in for your expertise, your skills and your knowledge. So don’t let them down by not keeping up to date with latest thinking, not researching in advance, and coming across like you’ve just read an ‘Idiots Guide’ on the journey to the client!
But how can address reliability and credibility if this is one of your first appointments with a client?
Well one easy way is through recommendations or referral. Hopefully, there are either internal or external people who can vouch for the work that you have done in the past. You’d want people to have spoken to the client about the quality of your output, your flexible approach, your excellent stakeholder management, etc. Whilst your client will no doubt want to build up their own opinion of you, having a positive ‘fan club’ can really go a very long way to giving you strong foundations to build open.
Occasionally you may need to inform the client yourself of your experience related to their issue or challenge. One way to do this is to at the start of the meeting and during your introduction, refer to some of your most recent work or past successes. Of course, be careful not to spend to long on your roll of honour, or sounding like you’re giving your ego a healthy massage, this is just an opportunity to say to the client ‘don’t worry, you’re in safe hands’.
Another tested method that works is to drop your experiences in to the conversation. So when your client is talking about a specific issues affecting their business, drop in to to the conversation how you dealt with something similar with abc Ltd., and how you helped them deal with it.
Be careful not to over do it though, or you can sound like you’re trying to turn each stage of the conversation back on to you.
The 'If You're Gonna Do One Thing ...' to follow
September 10, 2007
Trust - Part 3
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I think you’re right. Basic customer service rule. When you hire someone to do something you’re expecting that person is going to make you feel safe, not to give you more reasons to be stressed out or worried, otherwise you’d leave things the way they are now. When the opposite happens it’s a disaster both for the company and the customer. Some companies and business people just don’t get it. For me, as a customer, is much better if you say: “I’m very sorry, but I can’t do it by next week, the sooner would be for xx/xx/xx”; or “My expertise is with this other cases, or situations, or products, but I can refer you to X, he’s very good at this and you can trust him” (Maybe with other words, but that’s the idea).
But if you commit yourself to do something, do it and do it right. You’ve impressed me with your words, now impress me with your work. Actions speak louder than words. Some people believe they have to say Yes to everything, even knowing they can’t do it at all or they can’t do all they said they would. They promise you best service, best price, best quality, just to get a positive answer from you. After that, they go chasing another client and forget about you, giving you much less than they offered. That’s the worst thing they could do, not only because they’ll fail, but also they’ll make you lose time, money (because you have to pay them after all) and next time you need the same kind of service you won’t call them, so they’ll also lose a customer, maybe more because you’ll make sure everyone you know hears the story. But if they’re honest from the beginning, you’ll think they’re reliable and they really take your needs into consideration (no only their desire to get your money) that would be a very good impression and…, you’ll think of them next time you need service and you’ll spread the word. Every situation counts when building a long term relationship with a client or prospect. If you can’t do something, say it, never lie. Maybe you can’t do it at this moment but you’ve left a good impression and that can open a lot of doors in the future. But if you say you’ll do it, do it, because I’m counting on you.
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