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There is a lot that goes into being a good project manager/management firm. There is also a lot that goes into being a successful company, project management or other. Arguably one of the most important things is having good client relationships. This is especially true as we’re all striving to create more stability and business longevity. We need to be smart, practical and empathic with our clients, since they’re the reason we’re in business in the first place! Read below to learn three keys things you can do to maximize your client relationships:
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Know the Stakeholders
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While you may have one primary contact at a client, they are not the sole person involved in your work. In project management, there are usually multiple stakeholder groups/departments, each one containing multiple people. To be successful, and to maximize the relationship with your clients, you need to know everyone involved. But not just know – you need to value all stakeholders and their opinions. As George Tillmann writes “Not all stakeholders have a seat at the management table…, but they may have proxies….whose interests need to be represented and understood.” Taking the time to know this will make you more valuable and help gain more business.
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Build Trust
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This may seem obvious, but to maximize a client relationship, they have to trust you. In uncertain times, this trust is more critical than ever. The best way to achieve this? Show your clients you do what you said you were going to. Deliver on the results you promised. This trust is especially impactful in times when your client is struggling. Take for example a client of ours who lives in a tropical climate. While we’ve worked with them, they have experienced 1) a devasting hurricane, 2) tropical storms, and 3) a massive earthquake. All these events caused delays, stress, and business problems for them. Through the trust we’d built with them, they let us take on project tasks and rearrange schedules to ensure their end goal was still met. This is the type of trust you want to build to be most successful.
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Challenge Them
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Many of us fall into the trap of “the client is always right” mindset. While it is important to listen to your client, it is equally as important to challenge them when they are wrong. They hired you, the experts, for a reason. In project management, clients often have an idea on how to solve something. It is our job to question the solution, and make sure it is actually the right answer or remedy. Only by challenging them can you ensure that the best solution is put into place, not the one they think is best. Figuring out the right way to challenge can be hard, but necessary. Consider it as more of a questioning discussion.
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Having excellent client relationships is needed for successful project management, and for any business. The three examples above give you some specific aspects you can work on to maximize your relationships, both new and long-term. Overall, though, you need to think of them as an actual personal relationship. Relationships take work and commitment, but in the end is rewarding in all areas of business. From business security and profit, to company morale and everything in between. The easiest way to sell is to have your clients recommend you to their peers and colleagues. The best way to make that happen is by having an excellent relationship with them. They are people, so treat them as a person first, client second.
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Interested in learning more about maximizing your client relationships? Contact our team at Kim@QuantumMark.com today!
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