A valuable concept to trust for every B2B or service-related business is developing relationships between the company and the clients. At ISU corp, we stress the importance of building, developing, and nurturing relationships between our company and our clients. We have been able to distinguish ourselves from the competition through strong relationships, and one of the very reasons clients continue to work with us is because we always go the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction with our work.
To nurture this relationship, both parties should follow these eleven simple commandments:
1. Be patient in building new relationships.
Relationships take time. Take time to get to know your client, instead of indulging in hypocritical networking, as it can be a severe put-off. It is prominent to note that your work for your client is paramount in building a relationship, as no amount of personal connection can substitute for a great job.
2. Do your research (Due diligence)
An online presence which includes the website, reviews, and social media, is the simplest way to learn who you are forming a relationship with and learn their company culture. It’s crucial for the service provider to learn what their clients do, to be familiar with their industry, and learn about their target market. Reading up on the service provider’s industry will help the clients to learn about the average prices and the service providers’ reputation.
3. Ask questions
When an individual needs more understanding or information on a subject, all he or she has to do is ask. This is why the saying "you won't know unless you ask" is relevant in this context. In order to know the worth of anything, understanding it is key
4. Answer questions
The partnership consists of two or more parties, which means it is a two-way relationship. Now that there are questions asked, it is essential to make sure that they get answered on time and efficiently.
5. Read the documents you are given, they are essential
Clients often provide information to the service providers about the project or services they need (RFPs, Requirements, Project Plans, etc.). These documents include essential information service providers require to fulfill the project demands. Hence the service providers need to read and understand these documents and act accordingly.
Then again, service providers provide their clients with several documents that explain the requirements, process, and terms and conditions of the project. These documents are written for a purpose, trust us when we say Technical Documents are NOT fun to write. These documents are used as the groundwork for your software and are used in the whole development process after. If you don’t get anything, be sure to ask for them.
6. Walk in the other party’s shoes
Both parties should be understanding in identifying each other’s needs and requirements. Not every glitch, hitch, and delay are the fault of the service provider. And the service provider should regard the client’s issues and projects as if it were their own.
7. Give reasonable pricing/estimation
Both service providers and clients need to be practical when it comes to cost, time estimation, and budgeting. As a service provider, you must break down estimates for the client to help them understand where the pricing is coming from.
8. Be open to suggestions
As a client, you are outsourcing by hiring service providers to help with processes you cannot do yourselves. Therefore, you need to be open to new ideas, new opinions, and take the time to listen to the suggestions from the experts in the field.
On the other hand, the clients are the professionals in their company and industry. Since they are well informed of their target audience and the preferences that will be best suitable for their business, it is essential to listen to their suggestions as well.
9. Be more than an email address
Communication is the key to growing a great and prosperous relationship. Clear, abundant, effective, and direct communication helps both parties. Although emails are convenient, it is not always the most effective. A phone call, an in-person or Skype meeting will help to put a face or voice to a name. These are great ways to build a better relationship with your client.
10. Adhere to the appropriate communication protocol
It is essential to stick to the contact information and communication process you were given to ensure communication lines are clean and clear. The team member or group of people were appointed to be the point of contact to avoid confusion and broken communication.
11. Follow up and stay in touch
The completion of the project does not mean the partnership is over. Most service providers have maintenance and support packages. There will always be maintenance and new revisions to be done in the future. And the learning curve will be much shorter if another project comes in.
Here at ISU corp we strive to provide the best possible partnership. If you are interested in working together, please contact us!
