The saying about giving an inch and someone taking a mile cannot be more accurate in the world of client relations. It is, however, a subtle kind. It starts with asking for a discount, and before you know it, you are undertaking tasks not included in the contract. Within no time, you feel overwhelmed and regretful for showing any kindness. However, it does not need to be that way.
Art of Keeping Satisfied Clients
When managing satisfied clients, a person has to consider doing what will please the client without creating an opportunity to be taken advantage of. It is like a Cosmetic Consultant being asked to purchase products when their role is to check its market viability. It is, therefore, a balance of keeping the client happy to the best of your ability but also creating boundaries. The reason for that is you don’t want a satisfied client calling you on the phone at odd hours because they’ve had a creative spur.
When you have been in business long enough, you know it is likely that you will have such clients more often than you’d like. You might not always get it right the first time or a few after that. That is what makes knowing how far you are willing to go essential. There will be frustrating clients, and you, therefore, have to be able to maintain sanity instead of dreading calls and cursing whenever the client schedules a meeting.
What You Can Do
Not everyone has the same threshold when it comes to patience. However, it is crucial to remember that your job or livelihood depends on it. Therefore, even in highly stressful times, you have to remember that you need to remain professional and do your best work. To avoid having constant email notifications, you should send updates every so often; the frequency is dependent on the client. It is however important not to wait for them to reach out before giving them a progress report.
Doing so keeps the client satisfied and quells any potential panic they might have. That is especially if you are a small company or a freelancer and the client has articulated they are primarily giving you a shot at delivering. As part of the updates, you have to ensure that you deliver on your promise. If you do run into issues, troubleshoot and find alternatives. Once you have, don’t just go along with them, but offer suggestions, showing the steps you took in arriving at that conclusion.
Wrap up
You also have to remember that you cannot keep everyone happy. For that reason, you ought to limit communication channels to avoid having unfortunate situations spilling into personal spaces like your personal line. However, on your part, you ought to do your best to remain beyond reproach.
