Client Service is a necessary and valuable facet of any company. Whether you’re selling hot dogs from a vending cart or providing business solutions or products, providing quality and valuable customer service is key to any business.
The size of your company and breadth of your services will dictate what your client service team size and skill level need to be. Let’s be honest, a hot dog vendor doesn’t need a customer service representative and can handle any complaints his clients may have. But client service is much more than just fielding calls from angry clients.
Client service is the art of building strong relationships with your clients. It’s about listening and it’s about partnering. It’s about providing solutions for your client, even if it’s not the solution they originally requested. Too many times have I seen where a solutions provider says “yes” to a client request without thinking it through and, perhaps, avoiding going down the wrong path to solve a business problem or, at the very least, incurring additional costs that cannot be passed on to the client. Perhaps their request could actually harm their brand. In a case like this, a true business partner would try to influence their client in a different direction to meet the desired outcome.
We’ve all heard the old adage, “The client is always right.” While that may hold true to the hot dog vendor that sells one thing for one price, it’s not that easy in business today. While I’m not an advocate of saying “No” to a client, I am a proponent of saying “Yes, but…” – Yes, but more time. Yes, but at a higher cost. Yes, but you don’t need that much.
We have to listen to our clients and, in doing so, ask the right questions to understand their real need. We have to partner with our clients and educate them in order for them to make an informed decision. Finally, we have to provide solutions for our clients, the right solutions — even if the right solution costs less or should be provided by another party.
Being honest with yourself and with your clients is a sure way to build that strong relationship. Today, businesses need to be partners rather than vendors. Listen to your clients, set and maintain their expectations appropriately and provide real solutions along with real value, and they’re sure to be with you for the long haul, as well as provide referrals for new clients.
