Posted by Narene Nicolas
Feb 28, 2024
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For companies that are in the business of handling other companies’ businesses, the relationship between you and your client determines the strength and longevity of your business – most of the time, it also becomes the cornerstone of your success.
However, while most companies spend most of their resources and efforts in securing their clients, this is not where the real work should be put in. Instead, most of your efforts should be focused after the onboarding stage where you need to maintain healthy client relations to ensure client satisfaction and quality excellence.
How do you Maintain Good Client Relations?
Adopt your Clients’ Work Culture
Differences in work culture may sometimes cause friction between you and your clients. Even something as simple as your company being used to formal correspondence and your clients’ company being used to conversational instant messaging can lead to miscommunication with your clients being off put by the tone of your messages.
Once entering an engagement, make sure that your team observes your clients’ work culture and adapt to it, making everyday communication, service delivery and even feedback channels aligned to how they do it so that they will feel naturally at ease with your partnership and will be inclined to continue it.
Establish Clear Communication Channels
While you want to set healthy boundaries, it is still important that you have clear communication channels for updates, feedback and mitigation efforts during emergencies.
With this, choose a communication platform that your client prefers and make sure that the channel is always open. You can take it one step further by being proactive and sending weekly updates and/or icebreakers every once in a while, so they will feel comfortable to message you through the chosen platform should a need arise.
Provide Value-Added Services
When working with your clients, make sure to be actively on the lookout for ways to add value to the services you provide. Show them that you can go above and beyond client expectations.
This can easily be done by providing personalized recommendations, additional resources or insights, or identifying new opportunities for growth. Demonstrating your commitment to their success will strengthen the relationship and increase client satisfaction.
Regularly ask for Feedback
One thing that will show how committed you are to maintaining a good client relationship and providing quality services is by being proactive in asking for feedback. Not only will this allow you to tailor your services according to their specific preferences, but it will demonstrate your commitment to your clients and make them feel that their feedback is valid.
As you note their feedback, make sure you and your team follow through. Set protocols in place to integrate their feedback into your workflow as at the end of the day, actions speak louder than words.
Be Responsive and Reliable
Timeliness and reliability are also critical factors in maintaining a good relationship – clients want to feel that during emergencies, their chosen service provider will be able to act in a timely manner.
To show that you are reliable, make sure that you respond promptly to inquiries or requests, and consistently deliver on your promises. By being accessible and dependable, you’ll increase the confidence that your client has in you and reinforce trust.
Prioritize your Partnership
Last but not least, approach your professional relationship as a partnership rather than a transaction. Collaborate closely with clients, involve them in decision-making processes, and work together towards shared goals and objectives. By fostering a culture of partnership, you'll create a sense of ownership and investment on both sides, leading to a harmonious engagement and again, secure its longevity.
As you work together with your clients, nurturing the relationship gives you the opportunity to get to know how they do their business, tailor your own services and service delivery accordingly and align your team with theirs.
By providing tailored services and coupling it with a harmonious working relationship throughout the engagement, you are providing quality on all ends and this holistic approach will entice clients to continue doing business with you, leading to long-term partnerships and established connections.
Need Help with your Company’s Finances?
D&V Philippines provides scalable finance and accounting solutions that can adapt to any landscape. If you’re interested in learning more about our services, schedule a free consultation with us or download our Employees to Partners whitepaper to see how we value our talents!
This article has been written in collaboration with Aly Tagamolila, a content specialist at D&V Philippines.
