3 Steps to Maintaining Client Relationships
The lines of communication between a client and their design firm are now more important than ever. With all the steps that need to be taken in order to digitize a business, communication can often get lost. Day in and day out, design firms are creating dynamic websites, brands, marketing campaigns, providing IT support, and much, much more. As you can imagine, an average day at a design firm is often nothing short of chaotic. However, in all of this chaos we (the design firm) need to always remember to put our client relationships first.
While there are many different steps taken when completing each client’s project, there is one common goal … satisfying the client. They are the sole reason for success in our line of business. Therefore, maintaining a mutually happy relationship should always come first. The following are three basic rules for both clients and firms to live by in order to ensure this happens.
Mutual Understanding
For starters, working on a client project is as pleasant and efficient as both parties make it. While it is certainly easier to put all of the responsibility on the other party, it will not get anyone very far. Clients & firms who work together towards mutual goals will always be more successful. The key to reaching a positive outcome is the amount of work that both sides are willing to put in. Of course, it’s still the responsibility of those hired to complete a project to the client’s standards. However, a mutual respect for one another will make it easier, and even fun to work together. Understanding what is expected is a great place to start, and trusting those doing the work is essential. Knowing that both the client and firm will benefit from a job well done is simply added incentive.
Build a Future Relationship
Next, trying to complete a job to “just get it over with already” is what kills most design companies. Who will benefit from starting a job and not seeing it through? No one. In this industry, a job should never be considered done, but in process. A unique aspect about the world of digital marketing is that it is always changing and evolving, and there is room for improvement with each passing day. Building a relationship with a client or firm that sees the potential in your vision is not only smart, but essential. It’s important to remember that any worthwhile relationship in which you invest time will most likely not bring overnight success. A firm should be searching for long term solutions that will ultimately bring the client quality business. As a client, bringing repeat business to a trusted firm is a great way to solidify and build your working relationship. The client is reassured that the firm is looking out for their best interests. The firm will benefit from the potential for a long term relationship. It’s a big win for both parties.
Learning from Every Experience
As a member of a growing firm working with clients from various industries, each client brings the opportunity to grow my knowledge base. Throughout the process of every project, a firm should be able to find ways improve. This is a very important factor in client relationships, as we should be constantly searching for new, creative solutions for every client’s specific needs. By offering a wide variety of expert marketing and design solutions, we are able to work with many different clients ranging an entire spectrum of industries. As we grow our relationships, we are required to make continuous updates and improvements to our processes. Customer satisfaction must be our top priority with each experience encountered. Although different routes may need to be taken to reach the final goal, utilizing lessons learned in the past always helps contribute to a successful outcome.
This quick glimpse into what makes client/firm relationships successful will hopefully demystify the process and help everyone reach their design goals more efficiently. If you’d like more information about Zen Agency and our operations, please feel free to contact us today.
