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Have you ever wondered why some professionals seem to effortlessly win over clients? The way you achieve it is simpler than you think. With the right strategies, you can turn the tide and make a discerning client your biggest supporter. That is why Olha Turok of the Lviv Office gave a Tech Talk about building a positive and productive relationship with your clients.
Olha is a Front-End Engineer with 7+ years of experience. She has a strong background in communicating with clients. This blog will explore actionable tips that Olha shared to make a client a true advocate for your brand.
Building Trust Through Workflow
Quality comes first
Nothing is more convincing in you being a fantastic worker than doing your job well. Your skills and results must meet the client’s expectations. Poor performance will lead to problems that will destroy even the best relationships. Always remember that your work must be reliable, clear, and well-structured.
Predicting possible “surprises”
If you feel that something in the project might go wrong, it’s important to let the client know in advance. Even if you’re not sure, timely warning of possible difficulties allows you to take steps to resolve them and prevent complications. Following this tip will create an atmosphere of trust and demonstrate your responsibility, helping to avoid adversity.
Protecting your own opinion
In client relationships, you should stand by your professional expertise, even when it is challenging. When you protect your opinion, it does not mean that you are stubborn. On the contrary, you ensure the client receives the best possible guidance. If the client makes incorrect assumptions, you must explain the situation clearly, using examples and arguments. Always communicate your perspective distinctly and confidently, backing it up with evidence or experience.
Ensuring Success in Task Management and Estimation
Clear requirements
If you want to show your reliability, it is important to know what the client expects from your work. You should never accept a task that is not described: without clear requirements, it is impossible to succeed. When the client’s representatives cannot provide details, you can take the initiative: ask for additional time to describe your vision of the task. You will avoid misunderstandings and save time spent on unnecessary work.
Requirements are in question
The best practice for providing significant changes in requirements during a task is to document them in a separate task. You can add a new task to an existing one, as it allows you to take into account new details without confusion. Or you can stop the current work and start from scratch. Following this advice will ensure clarity in execution and help you complete the task on time.
Write down what is important
During calls with clients, you would instead summarize the conversation to make sure everyone understands each other. After the call, you should write summaries or comments on the task in the chat. If you always do that, you will avoid forgetting details and ensure that all changes and agreements are saved for later review.
Fulfill your estimates
An estimate is a promise to complete a job within a certain period. For the client, the main thing is that there are no delays. It is better to promise 70% and deliver 80% than to promise 100% and deliver “only” 90%. Force majeure is possible, but an estimate is a benchmark that the client relies on.
Mastering Client Communication
Politeness
Politeness is a cornerstone of effective client communication, especially when interacting across cultures and languages. Since most clients usually speak English, you should be able to express yourself clearly and correctly. Misusing phrases or mistranslating can unintentionally come across as rude or commanding, which can strain the relationship. Always take the time to choose your words carefully, ensuring that your tone is respectful and professional.
Turn Competition into Collaboration
When client’s employees feel competitive with you, it can lead to unwarranted comments or criticism. It is worth building time to discuss issues in the timeline of tasks to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Involve supervisors in conflict resolution, discuss clear criteria for interaction, and maintain a professional approach. The best way to avoid problems is to build good personal relationships with the client’s employees.
Think Positive
Even when things don’t go as planned, keep a positive attitude. Clients appreciate employees who can remain optimistic and find solutions in any situation. Remember that your mood can affect the whole team and the client, so try to be a source of positive energy.
Bottom Line: The Importance of Building Trust with Clients
As Olha said: “Today, building a trustworthy and robust relationship with a client is not only about comfort but also about confidence in the future of your workplace. Follow this advice, and you can improve clients’ perceptions of you, your team, or even the whole company. When clients trust you, they are more likely to return for future projects and recommend your services to others.” Our company agrees with this statement. We thank Olha for making such a remarkable Tech Talk.
