5 Ways to Exceed Client Expectations

Nurture client relations by exceeding expectations.

Are you in charge of running a service-based business? If so, then you already know the importance of keeping clients happy. Here are five tried-and-true suggestions for exceeding client expectations to ensure long-term, successful relationships:

• Be On Time: This may seem like an obvious point to some, but there are a few of us who just can’t seem to kick the habitual tardiness. According to a study by San Francisco State University, 20 percent of people in the U.S. are chronically late. If this includes you, then consider that most clients will view this behavior as disrespectful of their own busy schedules.
• Dress the Part: Is your client a warehouse manager who is always in jeans, or are you presenting to C-suite executives? Knowing your audience is important when selecting your wardrobe for in-person meetings. You want to be able to communicate your level of professionalism, but you don’t want to ignore the importance of relating to your clients. Dress appropriately.
• Respond Proactively: Your clients know that you are busy, but you don’t want to leave them with the impression that you are too busy for them. Return phone calls, emails, and other messages within a reasonable time frame.
• Follow Up: Have you ever returned a phone call, only to have your client disappear from the radar? Likely, they just got busy and forgot to get back to you. If you don’t hear from them after a few days, then follow up. Most clients appreciate it, and it demonstrates your organizational skills (a valued quality for service firms).
• Be Nice: Business is tough as it is, so when you show some understanding and patience toward a client who has asked you to send the same invoice five times it always leaves a good impression. The old adage, “You catch more flies with honey,” applies here.

Doing right by your clients is a key component in building and sustaining longevity for your business. Incorporating these principles into your everyday operations will not only signal responsibility and dependability to your clients, but it will consequently develop a loyal customer base that will benefit you.

Do you have other methods of exceeding client expectations? Tell us about your success stories in the comments.