Being in account servicing for a long time now and seems that the new accounts people I meet have always have a hard time doing the job. What is client servicing and how far should you go? Making our clients happy is a priority in all business. Giving them your time, your expertise and making yourself available are basics. Here are some tips I hope can help you not just improve your relationship with your clients but also help you in your day to day dealings with them.
1. Let Your Clients Know They Can Trust You – Building trust is essential, you are the middle man or woman between your company and the client’s office. They must feel secure that the work can be accomplished on a period agreed upon and the requirements given must be translated.
2. Let clients know your limits – Its a misconception for some account management teams to think that they must give everything to their client just to make them happy. There is such a thing as boundaries that i am sure your clients already know. What is essential here is that it is discussed at the beginning of the projects. What do i mean here. One is the work time. Of course, there are occasions where you need to do overtimes, but working 24/7 can really drain you, plus always consider the scope of work agreed upon again at the beginning of every project. You can be a more efficient worker, if you are happy and have sufficient amount of rest.
3. Never say I Don’t know right away. Of course, we don’t know all the answers to everything our clients asks us, but never use the words I don’t know, you can always say, you will find out, or you are not sure and you would get back to them. Making them feel that you are open to their suggestions and you just need some time to figure things out will make them feel more at ease with you and assure them that you have their best interest at heart.
4. Write everything down – Doing the minutes of any meeting is a must. Sometimes, people tend to forget what transpired after a meeting, so doing a call report is always beneficial both for your and your client. Make sure you send a copy of the minutes to your client and don’t let 12 hours go by without you sending it. We often times get so busy and tend to forget ourselves. You can use the call reports as basis to any queries or issues that might arise as your projects progress.
5. Do Your Homework – Read up on topics, do your own research about the products that you are working on. It is always great to be well prepared before any presentation or meetings you have with your clients.
6. Be on Time – When you are on time for any meetings, this shows your clients that you value their time as well. Be at the meeting at least 20 minutes ahead of the agreed time. This also allows you to make the necessary preparation, meaning setting up your computer etc. Just in case you know that you will be late, it is always good practice to text or call your client and tell them that you are on your way. Most clients appreciate that.
7. Dress Appropriately – Wear a business attire for client meetings or presentations. Being well groomed will tell others that you mean business. You don’t need to be in designer wear, but being suitably dressed will earn you client’s respect.
8. Always be prepared – Never assume. If you need to make a big presentation, make sure that you have the right equipment or gadgets with you all the time. Check your presentation and see that it is working. Use a program that makes it easy for people to understand as mentioned in this sample board meeting minutes overview. Proof read your copy or letters and even your emails before sending them.
9. Call Back Right Away when You Missed their Call – Some clients gets so dependent on you that they will always look for you when they have inquiries. Of course there will be times when you are busy and missed their call. Call back as soon as you can. They will appreciate that very much. What I usually do is i text them back ans tell them that I shall call them asap.
10. Be a Good Listener. – Only when you listen, will you be able to give them the best advise and recommendations possible.
Experience will always be our greatest teachers. Always learn from your mistakes, its not an easy job but can be fulfilling once you have mastered the skills in handling your day to day dealings with your clients.
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