Building Relationships with Clients

It's been said that the difference between a contact and a contract is the R, which stands for relationship. While that may sound a little corny, I think you'll find it's true.

If you had to choose between two restaurants that sold identical food at the same price, wouldn't you choose the one with better customer service? Even if it cost a little more for faster service and friendlier staff, I think many people would find it worth the extra cost.

Of course we need to work hard and do a great job. That's a given. But there's more to it if we want to make a lasting impression on our clients. Or maybe I should say a "valuable" impression, because that client could give you more work in the future. That client could refer their friends and associates as well.

Trust is the Key

As a contractor, it's easy to say, "My work speaks for itself." But people want more than that. People thrive on positive human interaction. This is important, because we're not really doing business with companies. We're doing business with other people. And the key difference between those two is trust.

Let's take a client's perspective: You've been using the same mechanic for years. His name is Earl, and Earl has always listened to your concerns and never cuts any corners. The work isn't always done on time, but it's always done right. One day you get an advertisement in the mail from one of Earl's new competitors. It says they have better prices and quicker turnaround time. Would you switch to the new company that you know almost nothing about? I'm fairly certain most people would stick with the proven solution. They'd keep going to the mechanic they've known and trusted for years. After all, there's a track record you can believe in. This other place promises better prices, but is it worth risking your car over? What if they're only fast because they do shoddy work? What if they're only cheaper because they use cheap parts?

Can you see how the trust is everything? It practically guarantees you'll go to Earl as long as he's in business.

How Much is a Client Worth?

What does it cost you to bring in a new client? If you're advertising, you should be able to calculate your CPA (cost per acquisition). What can you do to bring that cost down? You can't really control how much it costs to advertise, because those costs are set by the publisher. However, what if you were able to get 2 or 3 jobs from some of your new clients? Those additional jobs won't cost you a dime. You only need to invest in the relationship.

The 80% Rule says that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your clients. If you don't have a loyal group of return customers, consider how you might change that.

Making an Impression & Building Trust

Here are some practical tips on building a long-term relationship with your clients.

Communication

To understand our client's need for communication, let's think about when we've been the client in the past. Taking your client's point of view will be an insightful audit into your own company practices.

Think about the last time you were expecting a package in the mail. When they said the package had shipped, did it actually start moving, or did the tracking show that it was still sitting in a warehouse somewhere? It's frustrating to hear one thing and see a totally different result. Be honest with your clients.

When your package is delayed, did anyone tell you why? Communication would make all the difference here. Be transparent. It removes the need for your client to worry unnecessarily.

Sometimes when we work with big companies we don't know who we're supposed to be interacting with. You may leave a message with someone who isn't really a stakeholder in the company, and they may or may not pass that message on. Make sure you clearly establish a contact person.

Have you ever known exactly who you needed to talk to, but getting a hold of them was nearly impossible. It really casts doubt on the outcome of your project. Be available. Make sure you are easily reachable by phone, text, email, video call, carrier pigeon...however your client prefers. You may not always be available the second they contact you, of course, but you want them to be able to say, "He always returns my calls. I'm not worried."

Communication is key—however your client prefers to do it.

Have you ever checked the shipping status on a package that you already know isn't coming until next week? Sometimes we're just curious how things are coming along. We need reassurance that everything is on track—just like our clients. They like to hear good news and positive updates. Give them frequent updates.

Be Professional

We can't always predict deadlines with perfection. Sometimes a part breaks during a job, or there's an unforeseen complication. This can be hard on a relationship, but if you've been professional up to that point, they'll understand. If you're always there on time, if you're always working hard, and if you're polite and friendly, they'll be more willing to cut you slack when something goes amiss.

If you have to change a deadline, don't just coldly tell them that it won't be done until next Tuesday. Treat them respectfully be explaining the need for the delay, and then apologizing. Follow up by assuring them you'll do your best to keep things on schedule. People appreciate effort.

Above and Beyond

We all like to be treated special, and often it doesn't take much. If you walked into a restaurant and found your napkin was folded like a swan, you would immediately view the place as a high-end establishment. They didn't even have to change their menu. Just a little clever origami was enough to catch your attention. What little bonuses can you add to leave a lasting impression on your clients?

Maybe you found a way to save them money. Honesty is in high demand and low supply, so saving them money would be remarkable.

Maybe you threw in an upgrade. Something that doesn't cost you too much, but makes a difference for the client. They would want to brag to their friends about that. Everyone loves a free upgrade.

Your goal is to find something remarkable. That doesn't mean it's incredible. That means it's worth remarking about. That's what we're really after. We want them talking to their friends and family, and then sending us referrals. We want a significant portion of our new business to say something like, "My cousin told me about you guys."

Keep Good Records

If any questions come up, you need to be able to produce accurate records to explain your work. You'll want to work with the best accounting software for construction, rather than an all-purpose program.

Make sure you're very comfortable running reports so you can produce a good rundown of a job's status. If you can customize your reports, play with it until you're really good at getting to the exact data points you need.

Why do we do it?

When you learned how to do electrical, HVAC, drywall, or whatever your trade is, you probably didn't plan to be in the customer relations business. It may not be your favorite part, but working well with your clients will enhance the work you did sign up for. After all, it's a lot more fun when we're making more money.