How To Build and Nurture Relationships with Clients

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While getting new clients is important to a business, maintaining long-term relationships with them is another matter. It is a whole new challenge that every business has to take. The minute you closed a deal with a client, you enter into a relationship that will help shape your business in the future. And that relationship doesn’t stop after landing that new account and meeting the client’s project requirements. As a business, you have to work on maintaining good relationships with your clients to build credibility. It’s not just about providing good customer service. It is also about proving your worth. Nurturing client relationships takes time and you have to have the right qualities to ensure that your clients will be there with you for the long haul. Here are a few tips on how you can keep your clients and maintain a healthy working relationship with them. Treat them as people not just clients The way you treat your clients is a major factor in building a good relationship with them. Do not view them as another billable and a way to get your business going. Instead, treat them as people with varied interests and different personalities. In our organization, we treat clients and employees the same way. We regard them as friends and family and creating close, personal bonds with our clients is what makes Flat Planet different from other companies. We provide value beyond business. Commit to your agreements Providing quality service to a client means that you commit to the deadlines and project agreements set by you and your client. By following through with the agreements, your clients will see you as a reliable business partner. And this can lead to more projects with them and they may even endorse you to other potential clients. Be truthful You earn a client’s trust by being honest with them. Honesty should start even when you are pitching to a potential client. Never say that you can do a project if you are uncertain about it, or lead a client to believe that you understand what they want or know what they are talking about. It also helps to have transparency when it comes to completing projects. Let your client know if you are encountering problems that may hinder the completion of the project. Covering up mistakes is never a good solution as it undermines your working relationship with them. Communicate often Keep communications open. Update your clients regularly about the status of the project. This can be done through frequent calls and emails. Depending on the project agreement, you can also utilize a CRM tool so that your clients can monitor the project themselves and see how things are going. Having clear and regular communication with your clients add value to the relationship and they will appreciate you for that. At Flat Planet, we keep our clients in the know on the status of the projects through regular phone calls and emails. Our pool of virtual talents maintains a good relationship with each of our clients and keeps them updated even on small details. Sustain connections Keep client relationships intact by offering loyalty rewards and sending tokens of appreciation as means to thank and let them know that you value them as a client. Even if the project is done and the contract has ended, staying in touch with them never hurts as this strengthens your reputation in the business community. This can also provide opportunities for you for more projects in the future.