Last updated on January 30th, 2024
This guide is all about the power of intelligent client management. We’ll cover everything you need to know about having excellent client relationships as well as pitfalls to avoid!
So you closed a new client…
The marketing content, the sales scripts, the back and forth calls finally paid off (literally).
Your client has signed with you and is ready for you to deliver on your services.
Maybe you’re a consultant, agency owner, SaaS company, or any other type of service provider.
Service delivery is a significant part of your new business relationship with this client and how you manage them overall. Client management alone can make the difference between someone sticking with you for three months or three years.
Let’s break down how to effectively manage your clients to create lasting partnerships that will help both parties long-term.
- What is client management?
- Why client management is crucial
- How to manage clients for the highest retention
- 5 Principles for awesome client management
- Client management software to make it 10X easier
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What Is Client Management?
The definition of client management is the process of controlling how you engage and interact with your customer’s needs, wants, and desires.
When you’re able to instill effective client management best practices, more clients will want to work with you long-term because there’s an alignment and understanding between the client and yourself.
It’s the same case with potential clients, aka prospects.
As prospects are gauging whether or not to work with you, they’re subconsciously looking for superb client management queues.
Things like:
– How well you answer questions
– Being on time
– Transparency
– Service capability
Sometimes they look for these queues without even knowing they’re doing it.
Why Stellar Client Management Is Crucial for Your Business
Now, let’s cover why client management is significant in the first place.
When clients like the service you offer and how you handle their requests, they’re more likely to stick with your services for a longer-term basis.
When someone stays with you longer, they’re putting more money into your business, driving revenue and profitability.
If you like more money, then you need more client management.
Also:
When you think about yourself—what happens when you love a product/service?
You talk….A LOT!
Your clients are the same way. They will advocate for your business when they like the results you’re bringing them.
What I’m saying here is that your clients sell FOR YOU—becoming like your very own, unpaid salespeople.
This is what allows you to have a crucial ingredient in marketing, which is social proof.
Social proof bias is one of the most prominent cognitive biases we humans have.
Did you know that 83% of people trust reviews over advertising?
Also:
88% of buyers are influenced in their buying decision by reviews.
When it’s not just you talking about how excellent your business is, but other people as well—the marketplace starts to take heed to your word.
Resulting in easier conversions, eventually making you even more money!
Do you see how powerful this is?
Another phrase for this is known as a marketing flywheel. When different systems feed into more revenue for your business, it’s a tremendous customer-centric approach to growing your company.
With all this juicy information about good client management, you probably see why it’s essential!
Now we’ll discuss how actually to manage your clients skillfully.
Managing Your Clients Like A Pro
You may be superman, but managing clients effectively still requires Client Management Software, AKA a CRM.
And here’s why:
CRMs speed up the rate at which you get back to clients to address their needs.
CRMs can do big tasks like replying to emails, social media, and even text messages, making it 100x easier to stay organized and be on top of things when it comes to client management.
It’s time to list five things elite companies do to have good client management.
- Leveraging A Team
Having outstanding team members is essential. Even Michael Jordan needed his teammates to be successful in winning championships.
Make sure you and your team are on the same page about the services/expectations of your client’s account. Appoint a project manager to oversee significant tasks as needed.
Leverage your team members to help make sure your client is taken care of.
Your team should understand and adhere to your company’s mission statement because it allows service quality to be consistent across the board.
For example, you don’t want your client to enjoy speaking with you, but your project manager Jenny is a pain in the…you know what to them.
That could be a deal-breaker that loses your company thousands in potential revenue.
Most businesses don’t see that a synergistic team effort reflects in the client relationship.
A robust CRM like Vipecloud’s Sales CRM and a reliable team is a recipe for business longevity, upward revenue, and happy clients.
2. Gauge Their Personality Type
The truth is EVERYBODY is different.
Yeah…you’ll see certain similarities between clients, especially if you service a particular niche or industry.
But on a big picture level, always gauge your client’s personality type.
I’m not telling you to have them fill out a 200 question personality test.
No. Simply make a note of how they carry themself.
What kind of questions do they ask you? What makes them happy, annoyed, curious, even laugh?
If you’re able to answer these questions, you’ll probably have a good understanding of their personality type.
Understanding that every client is different and knowing their personality type will help you in the way you communicate with them (Which we’ll cover very soon.)
If you’re a consultant or agency owner, some clients may be extroverted and like talking over the phone. In contrast, others might be more to the point and prefer quick and short text messages for logistical communication.
This lends itself to coming up with a communication style that works for them.
Let’s hop into the third thing to keep in mind.
3. Gauge Past Dealings With People In Your Industry
I know you believe your company is incredible, and it probably is.
But the truth is that some of your leads have been burned in the past.
Maybe a previous company, consultant, or agency didn’t deliver on their promise. It could’ve been lousy customer service, poor service quality, or even shady price increases.
Whatever the reason is, your client consciously or subconsciously created a narrative about your industry after that ordeal.
And this narrative doesn’t vanish just because they stopped working with that old company.
Nope, it stays and gets brought over to you.
So in a sense, you could be in an uphill battle. But let’s view it as a chance for your business to shine under a dim opinion.
It’s essential to gauge their past dealings, albeit, on a discovery call, sales call, or while they’re a client because you want to understand what they’re worried about.
If you don’t find out and fix their worry, it will likely resurface later in your relationship with them.
Which could manifest as an “I’d like to end the services” email in your inbox.
So, here are some good questions to ask to gauge your clients’ past dealing with your competitors/people in your industry:
- Have you worked with a {name of service} provider in the past?
- What were the results like for the past CRM you used?
- What do you look for in a good {name of service} provider?
- What are your thoughts about {name of services} services?
Asking these questions will help you gauge their past.
But it doesn’t stop there….
Once you know how they feel about your industry, position yourself as their best solution.
And deliver the fantastic results they’re looking for.
When done right, you’re helping your client, your own business, and even your industry at large.
Definitely something to be proud of.
4. Understand How & When They Communicate
We all communicate differently, everything from our tonalities, pauses, and even the time we want to communicate.
Know your client’s schedule—when are good times to speak with them where you have their undivided attention?
When and why do they reach out to you? How deep are the questions they ask?
The more you understand how and when they communicate, the smoother the client relationship will go.
This is an insight your sales team members should know about because they represent your company at the end of the day.
Your client will feel heard, welcomed, and appreciated.
You don’t know how things are going in the other parts of their lives, so you being an “all ears” and understanding service provider could be very important in their eyes.
Another facet of understanding how they communicate is “reading between the lines.”
Many people tend to word what they mean in a way that’s not very direct. Sometimes, your client may not even know they’re doing it.
It’s your job to figure out what they really mean under their face value communication.
How?
By asking questions for clarification.
The reason being is because you don’t always want to assume. At the same time, past experience can help you understand what your client is trying to say.
So it’s a balance.
Clarifying questions you could ask are:
- “So, from what I’m hearing, you think that…”
- “From what you’ve told me, I believe you’re saying…”
- “Got it, Jake, so what you’re saying is…”
After you speak, wait for your client to confirm or clarify what he/she was saying further.
Understanding these nuances in communication can put your business leaps ahead of your competitors.
You don’t need a Ph.D. in linguistics to have effective communication with your clients. This is one of the big hallmarks of really managing your clients like a pro!
Boundaries And Setting The Right Expectations
If you go to an amusement park and you’re about to ride “The World’s Fastest Rollercoaster.”
You’re expecting that bad boy to be very fast!
If it’s not, then your expectations of the ride didn’t match what was said.
So when dealing with new clients, don’t tell them you’ll deliver 200 leads in one week, when your average is 30 a week.
You’d be surprised how many businesses dig themselves into a hole by not adhering to this simple rule.
You end up losing credibility.
It’s better to over-deliver on what’s promised.
Another caveat to this is boundaries – what’s acceptable and not acceptable, which you can mention in your service agreement.
An example of a boundary would be your expectations of having your client join a call in a timely manner.
A boundary your client could have is letting you know suitable time frames to speak and time-frames where it’s not so feasible (This example doesn’t have to be in writing, just remembered).
Boundaries and expectations both go hand-in-hand. We don’t mind readers here, so be sure to remember these two.
5. Control, Influence, And Adherence
When managing client relationships, you’ll often be making an individual impact, while other times, you’ll need to go with the flow.
Either way, you should control your own behavior to the greatest degree when you communicate with customers.
On the other hand, you can exude influence over the efficiency within your sales team. Your level of responsiveness and cooperation will greatly influence project outcomes and enhance client retention.
Lastly, unless you’re on top of the leadership chain, you need to adhere to the rules of culture set for the team.
6. Leverage The Decision Matrix
The Decision Matrix is a powerful tool to help you quickly understand your client’s needs. You can use the Decision Matrix to communicate with stakeholders effectively.
The Decision Matrix contains a set of information that can help you manage a client’s needs and expectations.
Here’s the list of things you need to identify to understand your leads and provide the best client service:
- Goal and timing of the decision.
- Stakeholders included in the decision-making process.
- Needs of each stakeholder relative to the decision.
- Current position on the issue for each stakeholder.
Note that you must complete a Decision Matrix before defining a solution for new clients.
The Golden Rule For Client Relationships: You Must Understand How They Feel And Think
It’s time to discuss the client themself.
In the Art Of War, philosopher and war strategist Sun Tzu talks about “Knowing your enemy.”
Now, of course, your client isn’t your enemy……
But they’re still someone you’re engaging with, so knowing them is vital—everything from how they feel and think.
The client is working with you to gain a particular result. They believe you are the right person/company to invest in to achieve the result they’re seeking.
With this in mind, it’s easier to understand that it’s not about your services—your services are just a means to an end.
In fact, most questions clients ask you, especially before working with you, are about ROI (or trust, which we’ll cover next.)
When speaking about your services, always sell with the end in mind because that’s where the client’s head is at.
Clients usually have a mindset of, “I need this to give me a good return on investment.”
Another thing to remember is that trust is a major factor in the client’s mind.
Think about it, when you need a serious procedure done, who would you prefer do your operation:
Doctor A: Just finished medical school, barely studied, isn’t passionate about his career as a doctor.
Doctor B: 33 years experience as a Doctor, Ph.D. from Yale, has done over 350 surgeries and loves his career more than anything.
You would pick Doctor B, of course. He has way more reasons for you to trust him.
Your client plays a similar scenario and weighs your trustworthiness before, during, and even after dealing with you.
From a client management standpoint, knowing that your client wants an ROI and seeks trust, allows you to have a more proper mindset when managing them.
When your client management mindset aligns with your client’s needs and desires, you’re looking at a next-level partnership.
But that’s just the start.
It’s time to strengthen your customer loyalty for longevity.
Building Client Relationships Stronger Than Steel
You can build long-lasting and strong client relationships, but you have to remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Like any relationship, time is an essential ingredient.
You also have to utilize the principles outlined previously.
Things like understanding how your client thinks, communication, service capability etc.
What makes a connection stronger is how deep your conversations get.
You don’t have to know your client’s whole life story, but asking them about why they started their business in the first place can give you a more in-depth insight into them.
Some clients will open up more than others, which is normal.
When you understand your clients’ deeper “why”, it deepens the relationships with clients and separates you from other people they’ve worked with.
You become more a part of their life than just a “service provider.”
Entrepreneur and CEO of PureMatter, Bryan Kramer, emphasizes the importance of being human to human in your business rather than always B2B or B2C. He states:
“There is no B2B or B2C: It’s human to human.”
With this shift in mindset, you’ll find your client relationships lasting years.
5 Principles For An Amazing Client Management System
It’s time for the top five undisputed principles of amazing client relationships.
Memorize this list!
- Solid Communication
Communication is the bread and butter.
Always be aware of how clear you understand one another.
As stated before, you want to grasp how and why your client communicates certain things making every deal as smooth as possible.
- Knowing Your Client’s End Goal
You can’t start if you don’t know where you’re going. The end goal is the ultimate destination in your partnership with the client.
Before even signing them on, ask:
“What would you like to accomplish by working with us?”
“What do you want your business to look like six months from now.”
“When you reach this goal, what will that do for your business and even yourself?”
These questions help you discover the end goal and can be used as a benchmark to work towards.
From there, all your actions on the service delivery side ultimate end goal- albeit campaigns, reports, communications, planning, etc. are all about reaching that end goal.
- Reporting
Reporting is a big part of a good client relationship. If you’re an agency owner, most clients aren’t going to have the time or know-how to hop into the Google ads back-end and check their campaigns.
Clients would like to receive some sort of reporting or even a simple dashboard to log in from time to time and see important service information.
Some companies report once a month, others weekly, some even daily.
Do whatever works for your company, client, and niche.
Reporting also helps you pull relevant information when clients have questions that need metrics to answer adequately.
Consultants can use reporting to show progress.
For example, a weight-loss consultant can use reporting to show their client how much weight they lost in the past 30 days.
Again, reporting is always made easy with VipeCloud’s CRM software.
- Rules And Boundaries
Let your clients know your expectations and learn about their expectations.
It’s all about creating a working relationship where both the service provider (you) and the client can benefit.
If your service hours end at 5 pm, let your client know that phone communication has ended and for them to leave a message or shoot an email.
Rules and boundaries breed understanding of one another.
Setting the right expectations
Again, make sure everyone is on the same page.
Explain the service you’ll provide and the expected results from that service after x amount of time.
Your client will understand what’s to come, so there won’t be inflated expectations.
Think about it, oftentimes, disappointment only happens due to a high degree of expectation. Manage expectations and go above and beyond if you can.
It’ll be a great surprise to your client and contributes to a long-term business partnership.
- Time
Time is the final ingredient to good client relationships.
You could have all the other five principles down, but if it’s only been one month, you’re only scratching the service.
Time allows you to learn about your client, their business, and industry on a deeper level.
Again, this is if you have an excellent service and are optimizing the right systems to get the best results possible.
If your service delivery isn’t up to par, time will only show that. However, even this has a benefit.
Here’s how:
If you find a client isn’t happy with your services after three months. The 3-month time-frame allows you an opportunity to improve service delivery.
Once improved, you will have a better service for a future client, and they’ll be around long term.
Time is your friend.
The Secret Art Of Retaining Clients Long Term
No matter what kind of business you’re running, I doubt you’ve ever said to yourself, “Yeah, I just want them to buy from me only once.”
(Legal business, that is…)
There’s an art form to this that 80% of business owners aren’t using, let alone seeing.
Let’s outline four key facets of retaining clients for eternity.
Delivering Good Results
First and foremost, clients will stick with you when you bring them great value. Ensure that your service delivery is supreme because it will ensure a lower churn rate, business longevity, and growth despite changes in the industry landscape.
Warmth & Competency
You know those people that seem very open and easy to speak to?
There’s a kind of energy they give off that tells you they’re a warm person. Your clients will stick with you when you’re easy to deal with rather than start with a whole new service provider.
Remember that the other side of this is also competency. Competency is your knowledge of your client’s industry and how your services help them.
You should know everything from how their industry operates to even potential trends that will occur.
Make sure you’re able to clearly articulate information about your client’s industry verbally. You can throw in certain buzzwords or industry jargon that’s typically said.
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
For a dentist, instead of: “We’ll bring 15 new customers, for your dental practice.”
You would say, “We’re projecting to drive 15 Invisalign patients this month for your practice.”
The second sentence is more authoritative and shows more degree of industry know-how.
Staying On Top Of Things & Getting Feedback
Being on top of things means you’re always looking to service your client even better.
It’s very easy to get lazy when everything seems to just be “working.”
Although it’s an easy route, 9/10, it’s only a matter of time before something breaks or isn’t relevant anymore.
A significant aspect of staying on top of things is getting client feedback.
Feedback allows you to fix problems before they become bigger problems. You can get feedback by sending your clients surveys and light questionnaires now and again.
This allows you to get an accurate synopsis of your services rather than just your own opinion. (Which can get biased)
Using feedback improves your business overall in the long run.
A Great Turning Point For Your Business
You now have the needed ammo to attack your customer relationship process. This article was your key to a new door of long-lasting client relationships and even business management.
Customer relationship management boils down to understanding their needs and creating processes that streamline the solution to those problems.
It’s effortless when done with a powerful client management system like VipeCloud’s unprecedented Sales CRM and Marketing Suite.
You’ll get a detailed bird—eye view of all your clients in one simple place.
Our CRM will help you handle your client management like never before. You even get your first 15-days completely FREE.
So free that we don’t even need your card.
Click here to sign up now to get started building lasting client relationships!
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