Managing Client Expectations
Adapted for HKICC by Carole Lewis from: http://www.score.org/s_cs_7.html
They say the client is always right no matter what he or she wants, but you can set the tone by carefully managing client expectations.
Setting the Tone
In initial sales meetings and project meetings, you-the business owner-need to set the tone for the relationship. Your job is to guide the client. Let the client know up front when you are available, how you plan to respond to emergencies, how often you will have face-to-face or telephone contact, and what the client can expect at the conclusion of the project.
Setting Limits
What happens when the client feels free to call at all hours? As a business owner, it's up to you to manage your time. It's up to you to put the phone to voice mail when your workday is at an end. That's professional, and it's effective.
Your obligation is to check your messages first thing in the morning. If you're in a business where client emergencies are part of the business, then give out a pager number on a limited basis and clearly define in your contract what defines an emergency and whether you will be charging extra for emergency service.
Firing the Client
And what if, despite your best efforts, the client continues to demand more than is realistic? Then it may be time to fire the client. You should fire a client if you're not making money on the business and that client is not bringing you other business that would be profitable. You should fire a client if you, as a business owner, decide the client is not a good fit and that a long-term relationship will not be successful for both parties.
But, when you do fire a client, do it nicely. It never pays to burn bridges.
Don't Over Promise
Many business owners, eager to please their clients, fall into the trap of promising too much. As a business owner, the best way to avoid this is to consider that every hour you give away is money your business is losing.
If you have a valuable client and you decide to give an extra two hours of your time, let the client know that you're giving extra time and why. You need to make it clear that this is a one-time occurrence and not something to be repeated, and let the client know that even when they get only what they contracted for, they are getting valuable service.
Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business"
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