7 Ways To Manage Client Expectations
Here are a few ways you can prevent a little friction from becoming a burning flame.
If you’ve been working with clients you know it happens. We’ve all taken on a client who doesn’t really know what they need, or they seem like a good fit to start and slowly snowball into ‘problematic’ territory. And in some cases, there was nothing we could do to prevent a business relationship from going south, but these are a few ways you can prevent a little friction from becoming a burning flame.
Get on the same page before you begin
Remember, “clear is kind” and clarity is especially important when working on complex problems. Having unclear outcomes at the beginning of an engagement with a client is a recipe for disaster. This may mean you need to reiterate the goals
Set up proper communication channels
Decide and communicate the best communication channels for your engagement. If you do not want clients accessing you outside of traditional working hours, say so up front. If you prefer email, text, slack, or other means of communication, determine the best strategy for the client and share this with them in the very beginning.
Explain your role in clear terms
It is crucial to establish clear deliverables up front, and communicate them in a transparent and consistent way from start to finish. This creates peace of mind for you and makes sure that your clients don't ask you for things outside of your agreed upon scope. They understand exactly what to expect and your role in making it happen.
Set up a good workflow process
Having a predetermined workflow detailing the tasks and process will help you move through your process and give your clients peace of mind by knowing what is coming next. Bonus points if you can share this process in a visual way (think:visual customer journey map).
Address problems head on
If a client's dispute arises \ stay calm and focus on the solution. Clients might say things in the heat of a dispute that you don't agree with, explain carefully but don't take it personally.
Honor client feedback
Customer feedback helps you measure customer satisfaction and improve your product and services. It may not always be easy to take critique from someone without your area of expertise, but done is better than perfect. Don’t let your ego prevent you from creating an outcome that your client is happy about.
Keep innovating
Innovation helps you to always stay ahead and closer to your customers than your competition so you can serve them better and make them loyal to your services. Every client is impressed by innovative ideas that could increase their value.
