What are some common client expectations and how do you manage them?

Understanding customer’s needs & goals can be as simple as asking. Yet, every salesperson has been in a position where they’ve lost a sale & have no clue why. Ever experience resistance in a conversation or notice the customer is disconnected & disengaged & you have no idea why? It's the assumptions you & your customers make that are the greatest roadblock to more sales & over-delivering on value. These assumptions can be about you, your company, the industry, your product, whether your solution will achieve the desired result & more. That’s why it's critical salespeople ask: "What assumptions are you making about …?" Now, you can address assumptions & clear the playing field so customers can make decisions based on fact vs. fiction.

Actively listening to our clients is one of the most important parts of understanding client's needs and goals. It is true that sometimes, the client's team is not very clear about their needs and goals themselves, just like entering into a theme park, there are a lot of rides but we all have our favorite rides or preferred ways to enjoy the tour and the tour guide help us to move in the right direction by asking relevant questions and listening to our responses effectively.

You have to uncover what's really going on in a clients mind. That starts with asking the right questions. What do you want? Why do you want that? How do you expect to get there.

Fostering a good partnership with your client is essential to their success, and in return - in yours. Good partnership with them allows for a more transparent discussion and forward collaboration. When they know you got their back, they will share their goals, and the whys behind it, giving you better perspective on how to achieve it.

Understanding their pain point is crucial “no pain, no change” and also understand the forecasted or projected business outcome for the change is critical. Generally these will fall into three big “buckets” of Revenue (will we drive more revenue) Cost (will we save or optimise cost. Risk (what’s the risk if we don’t do it, or will our market share be eroded, competition,)

Always remember, Under promise and over Deliver. That will make your customer even more satisfied with the service/Product that you provide.

Everyone needs to be on the same page Know the process Outline how communication and meetings will work Then what results can you expect and when Focus on what you can control and for the rest support what you can't control with good planning that can be adjusted as you go

Setting clear and realistic expectations is the HOW and WHEN part of the process. After listening to your client's needs and wants, it's important to clearly set expectations in order to meet or exceed their expectations. Concisely, explain how your products and services work. It's important to continue asking the right questions during this step. For example, we do X, Y, Z for our clients. Which seems to be most important for you? X? Great, which part of X seems to give you the greatest problems? How have you tried to solve this in the past? Here's how we approach the problem and how it benefited other clients. Typically, this is takes *describe timelines* and expectations of results.

It makes no sense to put a 'restriction', instead I go by 'Whatever it takes to get Results'. So here, you can stay focused on the outcome rather than counting every move you make. Gives better results.

setting clear and realistic expectations is crucial for the success of any project. A well-defined written agreement serves as a roadmap for both parties, outlining not just the goals but also the boundaries of the project. Being transparent about limitations and risks allows for better planning and helps manage expectations. This proactive approach minimizes the chances of scope creep, delays, and budget overruns, while also fostering a transparent and trusting client relationship. It's all about setting the stage for a successful collaboration from the outset.

Communication is important. How can clients reach you? Who do they call on your team when they have an emergency? What times are typically good for them? Do they prefer a phone call, text, email? Understand which days are typically easier for them. Are they a morning or afternoon type of person?

Remember that the illusion of communication is “everyone thinks it’s taking place”. Developing a shared consciousness approach rolls over an effective communication. Through an aligned common purpose you and your client are in sync, that leads for successful execution of the project / object / exercise

I agree with the above. Frequent communication with clients discussing goals and results will help prevent an unsatisfied client. Additionally, frequently revisiting both long-term and short-term goals to ensure that you are still working toward the bigger picture.

I make it a point to connect twice a week with my clients. Tuesday - To set Intentions for the week and give the Team the Instructions for the week. (Direction, ToDo & SOPs) - through this, they work on Tue, Wed & Thu with consistent reporting Friday we connect again to review, track analytics and again get the next agenda for work that's supposed to be done on Fri, Sat & and Monday. The week is kept on track. Communication, Monitoring & consistent tracking

Have never being easier to communicate, with so many platforms and tools ready available, it frustrates me to hear that companies keep failing in communicating with their customers. Schedule regular calls and maintain a good CRM system, make sure your notes and entry's are as detailed as possible, automate follow up's, tag associated products to your client base, share content that might benefit them... organise a networking event... million options to keep the communication flowing!

We live in the real world. People get sick. Vendors have a life too! Who can they reach when you're not available? When problems arise, stay on top of it. Do NOT wait until your customers have problems with your products or services-- be proactive. Here's how I stay proactive. If there's a shipping delay on their order, call your clients and let them know, provide them an update on the tracking number, and check-in with them. If your field engineer can't make it to an important installation, let your customer know immeditately. Call them, leave a voicemail, send an email. If you haven't heard from your customer after a problem arises, keep following up.

effective change and issue management is pivotal for maintaining project integrity and client trust. Anticipating and addressing problems proactively can often prevent them from escalating into major issues. Transparency is key; informing the client as soon as possible about any changes or issues allows for collaborative problem-solving and helps maintain a strong, trusting relationship. By navigating these challenges effectively, you not only minimize their impact but also demonstrate your reliability and competence as a service provider.

Conflict delayed is conflict compounded. If an issue comes up get on the resolution and give updates and a timeline If there are changes then give updates on that too Clients are more understanding if you keep them informed of all you're doing to fix their problem.

I believe it is important to add that sometimes you just are confronted with what we call a: "bad customer". This is a customer who signed up but from the start lacks commitment, is only searching for arguments that disrupt the collaboration, and ends up making a big deal out of how bad you did your job. Identify these clients/people before you sign them up.

Clients, at least in a B2B environment, want transparency, expertise, timely follow up, ideas and innovation (practively). They are not looking for someone to 'yes' them to death. They want to the truth, good and bad, and they want you to be a trusted advisor. Regular communication about their goals, initiatives, challenges, is a must.