Comments on: How Do You Manage Client Expectations?

By: Malcolm Out Loud

Malcolm Out Loud — Fri, 22 May 2009 23:39:51 +0000

Good content Lisa. Bad customer service is the leading reason companies fail. Much of it is due to what I call ‘Complacentitis’, which is one of the 4 Human Ailments that executives suffer from. We must continue to encourage companies to look inside their organizations to challenge their employees to do better.

By: Rhea Drysdale

Rhea Drysdale — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:39:22 +0000

Mike, on the contract specific point, I’ll say that we’ve gotten hit by a lot of that. We aren’t cheap. In fact, we’re pretty darn expensive. We try to listen for the clients that are just price shopping and not spend as much time with them, because we already know we won’t be a good fit. We build long term, defensible brands. Price shoppers invariably want a quick fix. I’m not going to fault someone for finding the best service at the best cost, but the clients that sign with us do so because they KNOW us. They trust us. They believe in what we’re doing, we believe in them and it just works. We communicate a lot. We train their team. We’re often putting ourselves out of a job. The good news, once a client sees the results from our work, they may no longer need those services, but now they’re ready for the next phase of business development and we know their brand. We don’t want to provide a single service, we want to grow their business, it’s like raising a kid. You raise them to eventually leave you. :)

[hugs]

By: MikeTek

MikeTek — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:55:51 +0000

This is so crucial for budding Internet Marketing agencies.

I’ve worked for a few small shops who got this wrong. It always created nightmares down the line.

The counterargument I always faced to outlining the project in the proposal/contract is that the clients will just “walk away and take the recommendations to another (cheaper) agency.”

That probably does happen from time to time, but what are you going to do about that? If people want to be sneaky, let them sneak. Keeping your proposals/contracts vague to preempt this just infects the rest of your business and client relationships.

By: Kathy Hokunson

Kathy Hokunson — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:31:24 +0000

Lisa-
Another great piece of writing and SPOT ON!

Communication is so key. It drives me nuts when I call someone and they don’t get back to me. When they finally do and I express frustration at not hearing sooner from them, they almost always reply “I didn’t have anything to tell you yet”. Well THAT would have been nice to know!

It is those little lessons that helps me communicate better with my clients.

Thanks!
K

By: Jon Buscall

Jon Buscall — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:15:54 +0000

Nice points, Lisa. It’s as applicable to freelancers as companies. Communication IS everything.

One of the problems with email is that without the paralinguistic stuff it’s very easy to misunderstand each other. Add in cross-cultural misunderstandings too and you’ve got trouble. For example, in Germany they get upset if you just start an email with their name: E.g. Lisa, Thanks for…
Apparently they think you’re shouting if you do that.

Point is: phone calls, documentation, listening to a client and talking “their” language all makes client relations better.

By: Charlene

Charlene — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:20:56 +0000

Yay Lisa! I am constantly harping on customer service to anyone and everyone I meet. Do what you say you’re going to do, charge what you say you’re going to charge, call when you say you’re going to call…simple but effective service points that go a long way to building trust and confidence with your customer. Well done.

By: Lisa Barone

Lisa Barone — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:33:25 +0000

Robert: Yes, but usually when I’m writing, not when I write some level-headed and sans lots of “ZOMGS!”. Why am I crazy now? What’d I do? :)

Thomas: Thank you, sir. I hope you’re right. :)

By: Thomas Schmitz

Thomas Schmitz — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:49:41 +0000

Lisa, this is beautifully written and a terrific primer for any new concern, not just SEO. I predict that Outspoken Media has a bright future ahead of it.

By: Robert Enriquez

Robert Enriquez — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:33:14 +0000

change the 743 readers to 744…you just got another one! :)

btw has anyone told you that you’re crazy? (in a good way)