How to ...
(for existing clients)
How to ...
(for existing clients)
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 How to ...
 Â(for new clients)
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 How to ...
 Â(for new clients)
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... receive client feedback.
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| Ken Blanchard, the “One Minute Manager,” called feedback on results the breakfast of champions. Indeed, knowing what your client really thinks of your performance allows you to “saturate the firm” with the voice of the client: the first step to exceeding that client’s expectations and securing more work. Statistics show that satisfied clients will tell a few others, but unsatisfied clients tell scores of others.
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The goals of client feedback are:
The following process elicits this feedback and sets the stage for continuous improvement. Before you start, ask permission to take notes; nobody every declines, but asking emphasizes that you’re taking seriously what they tell you. Then ask the following five questions:
| Question 1: "What did we do on the last assignment (project) that you especially liked? The reason I ask is that we never want to forget what’s valuable to you on our projects. I want to be sure that everyone in the office who might work on your projects is aware of your preferences."
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| The purpose of this question is twofold. First, you need to know what your doing well so you can continue on that path. Of more importance however, is that good things the client says about you in the first question set the stage for the second question |
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| Question 2: "What did we on the last assignment that didn’t work the way you would have liked? Is there anything that we didn’t do that w should have? The reason I ask is that we sincerely want to do better all the time and it would help to have your input on the things we should concentrate on."
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| This question is strategically placed second instead of first because it it typically easier for a client to provide honest criticism if her or she has first dispensed some praise. Of course, some clients don’t need any invitation to blast us. But the most dangerous criticism from a business standpoint is that which is kept from you but then broadcast to others. You want to ferret out these feelings and find a way to respond to them before they fester or are passed on the prospective clients.
But you don’t want to wallow in the bad news. Instead, you want this information so you can improve. To do that, you have to ask another question.
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| Question 3: "Let me ask you about the points you have raised. In each case, what would ideal performance look like to you? What would be the ideal result? " (Then name each of the items from step 2 for the client to consider.)
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| This question will help you – and the client – get a clear mental picture of the result that he or she expects. The first thing you find out will be that when you restate one of the client’s pet peeves that’s actually trivial or only partially true, when they hear it restated they will back off. Next, thinking about what they want counterbalances their angst about what went wrong and paves the way for a discussion of what specific improvements could be made. Which is the gist of Question 4.
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| | Question 4: "What
actions come to your mind that we can take now to get closer to the
ideal you’re looking for? You’ve mentioned some important challenges
for us – some of which we’re already working on and some we need to
start work on. It would be great to have your ideas as we start." | You’ll be surprised at the good ideas your clients have
for ways you can improve. You’ll also be impressed that they don’t
say: “Give your services away for free.” They know you have to stay in
business and their new orientation as a partner in developing
improvements will make them more reasonable than you expect. This
question begins putting your client’s fingerprints on the strategies
you use to serve him or her. What better way to gain the support of a
client than to let him or her feel a sense of ownership over the way
you do business? This begins to approach the real meaning of the term
“relationship.” As you implement the client’s ideas – or a variation
of them – you will be creating an invaluable advocate. Remember,
nobody resists their own ideas!
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| This is a critical point in the process. If the client’s concerns are truly serious and the measures recommended will require time and resources to implement, you should end the interview with a summary of the steps you’re going to take back to the team to develop an implementation plan. Reconvene when you can show some actions that will make improvements. Implementing meaningful change is a terrific step in relationship building; failure to do so can be fatal. Remember, your unhappy client is your competitor’s best prospect. When you’re confident that you’re on good footing with this, proceed to the “golden” question:
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| Question 5: “What else can we do for you? Who else in your organization would benefit from our services? Do you know of other organizations that would be good prospects for us.
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|
| This question needs no explanation. You can come back to it from time to time. As your client gains confidence in the relationship, this question will help him or her see situations as opportunities for you that would have otherwise been glossed over.
|
|
|
... receive client feedback.
|
| Ken Blanchard, the “One Minute Manager,” called feedback on results the breakfast of champions. Indeed, knowing what your client really thinks of your performance allows you to “saturate the firm” with the voice of the client: the first step to exceeding that client’s expectations and securing more work. Statistics show that satisfied clients will tell a few others, but unsatisfied clients tell scores of others.
|
|
|
The goals of client feedback are:
The following process elicits this feedback and sets the stage for continuous improvement. Before you start, ask permission to take notes; nobody every declines, but asking emphasizes that you’re taking seriously what they tell you. Then ask the following five questions:
| Question 1: "What did we do on the last assignment (project) that you especially liked? The reason I ask is that we never want to forget what’s valuable to you on our projects. I want to be sure that everyone in the office who might work on your projects is aware of your preferences."
|
|
| The purpose of this question is twofold. First, you need to know what your doing well so you can continue on that path. Of more importance however, is that good things the client says about you in the first question set the stage for the second question |
|
| Question 2: "What did we on the last assignment that didn’t work the way you would have liked? Is there anything that we didn’t do that w should have? The reason I ask is that we sincerely want to do better all the time and it would help to have your input on the things we should concentrate on."
|
|
| This question is strategically placed second instead of first because it it typically easier for a client to provide honest criticism if her or she has first dispensed some praise. Of course, some clients don’t need any invitation to blast us. But the most dangerous criticism from a business standpoint is that which is kept from you but then broadcast to others. You want to ferret out these feelings and find a way to respond to them before they fester or are passed on the prospective clients.
But you don’t want to wallow in the bad news. Instead, you want this information so you can improve. To do that, you have to ask another question.
|
|
| Question 3: "Let me ask you about the points you have raised. In each case, what would ideal performance look like to you? What would be the ideal result? " (Then name each of the items from step 2 for the client to consider.)
|
|
| This question will help you – and the client – get a clear mental picture of the result that he or she expects. The first thing you find out will be that when you restate one of the client’s pet peeves that’s actually trivial or only partially true, when they hear it restated they will back off. Next, thinking about what they want counterbalances their angst about what went wrong and paves the way for a discussion of what specific improvements could be made. Which is the gist of Question 4.
|
|
| | Question 4: "What
actions come to your mind that we can take now to get closer to the
ideal you’re looking for? You’ve mentioned some important challenges
for us – some of which we’re already working on and some we need to
start work on. It would be great to have your ideas as we start." | You’ll be surprised at the good ideas your clients have
for ways you can improve. You’ll also be impressed that they don’t
say: “Give your services away for free.” They know you have to stay in
business and their new orientation as a partner in developing
improvements will make them more reasonable than you expect. This
question begins putting your client’s fingerprints on the strategies
you use to serve him or her. What better way to gain the support of a
client than to let him or her feel a sense of ownership over the way
you do business? This begins to approach the real meaning of the term
“relationship.” As you implement the client’s ideas – or a variation
of them – you will be creating an invaluable advocate. Remember,
nobody resists their own ideas!
|
| This is a critical point in the process. If the client’s concerns are truly serious and the measures recommended will require time and resources to implement, you should end the interview with a summary of the steps you’re going to take back to the team to develop an implementation plan. Reconvene when you can show some actions that will make improvements. Implementing meaningful change is a terrific step in relationship building; failure to do so can be fatal. Remember, your unhappy client is your competitor’s best prospect. When you’re confident that you’re on good footing with this, proceed to the “golden” question:
|
| Question 5: “What else can we do for you? Who else in your organization would benefit from our services? Do you know of other organizations that would be good prospects for us.
|
|
| This question needs no explanation. You can come back to it from time to time. As your client gains confidence in the relationship, this question will help him or her see situations as opportunities for you that would have otherwise been glossed over.
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