Antiquated or Automated
Here are some common client relation tasks along with some suggestions for how to manage them.
Account SetupSo you've sealed the deal and a new client is on board. Congrats! Now it's a series of mundane tasks to get their information on file and further educate them on how your company operates. These tasks can be automated. If you can't afford the latest software and devices, at least streamline these tasks into a series of succinct steps and draw from templates to avoid redundancies.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
The jury's still out on this one. More and more small companies are gaining access to the systems of big companies and are following suit with automated birthday cards and the like. I am not a fan of this. I think this is where small business can shine. If you're a small business you know your client personally. A birthday card with a personal message makes much more sense than an automated template from an online supplier. If you go one step further and hand write the envelope the greeting will feel all the more fuzzy.
Education
By now, you likely have a system in place for educating your clients on industry trends and special deals. (If you don't,
email me now because you should!) For many of us this "touch" has taken the shape of a quarterly mailer or a monthly ezine. Set a schedule, create the content and automate the distribution.
Concerns About a Current ProjectI am fast learning that when concerns arise around a project that it is in MY best interest to pick up the phone. Nothing escalates a situation quicker than a barrage of misinterpreted emails. Even if you have discovered that the client is a nightmare and you'd be happy to see them go, pick up the phone and do your best to close the job on amicable terms. You never know who they know and you never know what the future holds. If you're planning to "fire" your client, keep the tone positive by offering them solutions (ie contact information for your competitor!).
