Facing the client: Should we bend till we break

Often on projects, I find myself focusing on a very common subject - facing the client. Client interactions can be nerve-wrecking as had been the case for some of my colleagues, including a couple of seniors. But it doesn't have to be like this always. I experience enlightment with each and every customer, internal or external, that I communicate with. I always feel it is a chance to strengthen the relationship. Relationships are still the cornerstone of any service-based business. It’s much nicer to work with jovial clients as opposed to clients who feel they are unable to communicate their thoughts properly.

Clients are primary to the process in the service industries. As an IT service provider, I feel that, we just implement the vision and ideas of the client. When the client asks for opinions and direction we may give some input, but it is ultimately for the client to make decisions. We should not underestimate and tell the clients what they should do. This happens with most organizations dealing with the FTO (First Time Outsourcing) clients, thinking that the clients are not knowledgeable in the project management aspects. Some of the large clients allow us to educate them about the value we can provide. But it is not the case always. Most times, we end up dumping our processes on the clients, only to find later that the clients had better processes than ours. We also fall into an easy trap trying to impress clients with our promises of a super-fast turn around instead of our capability. Don't give the client the absolute best-case scenario when discussing a project. Most of the Clients would be fine if they were just told that it would take the necessary time. But by promising the project in lesser time and failing to deliver, the future trust is lost with the client. Words are cheap and clients who have been in business for any length of time know that.

We need to be humble with the clients and understand that humility will only set us apart from the rest. Being Indians, humility comes quite naturally to us. But how far we need to be humble is a question to be answered. Client interaction is important as it could make or break a business and the best way to ensure that is by communicating effectively. Clients appreciate honesty which is often forgotten when being humble. The hardest lesson to learn in client interaction is learning when to state our opinion. If the client is wrong about something, do not hesitate to say so, along with a solution to go with it spontaneously. There’s no sense in pointing out an error only to not have an effective plan of action. Develop plans that are best suited for the clients. When identifying an issue, we should keep its criticality in context. Managers and business leaders do not appreciate drama, and overreacting can hurt our credibility and rapport with critical business contacts. Sticking to the facts can help keep situations from spinning out of control. Do a thorough client diagnostic evaluation and understand what we are doing well and how we might be falling short for them. This will increase the client experience with us. Do not shoot down any idea from the client, only to have nothing to patch it up with. Be ready to admit too when we are wrong should the client call us on something. Put your self in the client’s shoes to be able to identify and understand their problems.

Clients deserve respect for their expertise. Working collaboratively with clients typically achieves the best results. When interacting with a client, we should inject our personality into the conversation and project. If we are acting contrived, the client will come to know about it. Be genuine, by displaying the passion for work, the client will share their enthusiasm as well. In most cases, clients are proud of what they do, and they are excited to share the details of their work. Expressing interest can elicit valuable information and enhance client relationships. Having informal meetings outside of formal meetings with the client can really help our status as their trusted advisor. With informal meetings, be careful not to become too casual with the client; remember they are still the client. Client interaction should be characterized by quality and transparency, with defined and adhered accountability and responsibility.

The most important problem that clients face with the IT services is not talent or skill but communication, and that too written. Clear and concise writing is the foundation to effective communications. Be willing to email clients even when it seems a bit redundant or unnecessary. Always be reachable since if the Clients can’t get in touch with us, their helplessness increases exponentially. Answer emails to the client quickly. Assumptions can cause major problems, especially in a world where so many decisions are made by email. Make liberal use of lists, inline email responses, and reiterations of instructions. But all business can’t be conducted by email. This is where phone calls will help. Misunderstandings are always easier and faster to resolve via phone. Verbal communication creates a better "human relationship" than email does. And that is why I always prefer and suggest using both the channels – email followed by a phone call or phone call followed by an email.

Other basic things that can improve the client relationship include:
o Be honest and sincere to establish visibility and creditability so that there is enough trust for the purchase to happen.
o Be punctual, this signals that we value Client’s time the same way they do.
o Engage with the Client more often and make them feel that you really care.
o Dress formally. Dress to either the client’s standards, or your company's standards. With an increase in the number of businesses who operate in a casual work environment, standing out as well dressed can be a big bonus for you.
o Enhance listening skills to make sense of and understand what the client is saying.
o Always treat clients with courtesy.
o Reply speedily. Keep your clients abreast of important, complicated changes in strategy or timetables with regularly scheduled conference calls.
o Keep a watch on the body language

Also be aware of the Don’t’s
o Talking only about one self
o Revealing too much
o Not being one self

With so many factors to consider, how does one move forward without being overwhelmed with the complexity of client interaction? The starting point for such an approach is by giving careful consideration to the assumptions and beliefs that are embedded in our understandings and goals of our encounter with the client. Developing cultural knowledge, skills in understanding client communication methods, and an awareness and acceptance of the dynamic variety of people and populations we work with are all crucial components of facing the client. The right balance between humility and honesty, transparency and sincerity will give us the flexibility in any relationship without reaching the threshold of breaking.