What Clients Want to Feel...Before They Retain or Rehire You!

If you’re like most professional service advisors from accountants, architects, doctors, brokers, engineers, contractors, attorneys, coaches and consultants - you thrive when there’s sufficient client communication to ensure the work is done on time, spec and budget.  That gets you through the job.  What keeps your retained and rehired?.  

That answer depends on how the communication is conducted.  Statistics show that when the firm was not rehired and technical performance was not the issue it was because of the intangible things communicated.  How did the firm demonstrate they heard the client?  How did the firm sought to understand the client’s purpose?  And finally how did they appreciate the motives of the client?  

To place you in the best position to be retained and rehired, here’s an outline of a firm and client conversation that’s held periodically throughout the project.

What’s the client’s objective...?

• “When we initially choose to selected this ____________program, it was for _____________reason(s).   Is that still your primary reason?  Any changes?  What caused the change?”
• “How do you rate our progress on a scale of 1 to 10 high achieving your goals?  How so?  Tell me more?”
• “What outcome would make our discussion about our work together a great success today?”
• “What specifically do you want to accomplish near term, long term?”
• “What will be different as a result of working on this area?”
• “How can we make that goal measurable – so we know when we’ve achieved it?  What would success look like?”
• “By when do you want to have this done?”  “Are the resources available?”

Current Situation - Where does the client see where we are we starting from - real and perceived?

• “What is their confidence level are they at right now?”
• “How do they perceive progress?”
• “Are there others involved impacting the situation, and how?”
• “What’s been tried already? What difference did those actions make?”
• “Are there other factors important in this matter?”

What are our Options?

• “What other potential courses of action are there?”
• “Let’s shoot for a least five potential solution. What else could be done?”
• “If we had unlimited resources and knew we couldn’t fail, what would you do?”
• “What if this obstacle was removed? What would be done then?”
• “What could you do to overcome this obstacle what are you options?”
• “Who could help you?”
• “What other resources could you draw on to tackle this? Who else could ask for creative ideas?”
• “What have you seen others do that might work for you?”

Decision

• “Is there anything else that you need to know to make a decision about implementing the ____________________  program?”
• “How do you want to proceed?”
• “Are you ready to say, ‘yes!’ to greater vitality, or would you like to explore further?”
• “What is holding you back from making a decision?”
• “What step would you like to take out of this conversation to keep moving forward?”

Recommitment

• “Which option(s) do you want to pursue?”
• “Turn that into an action step: what will you do by when?”
• “What step could be taken this week that would move us toward your goal?”
• “You mentioned that you could do _____________. What will you commit to doing?”

Assuring Action

• “On a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that this step will get done in the time frame you’ve set?”
• “How could we alter that step to turn that ‘six’ into an ‘eight’?”
• “Are there any other obstacles we need to address to make sure this step gets done?”
• “How does this move you toward you achieving your potential?  Why/ Why not”

Having this conversation demonstrating you hear what’s important to your client, understand them and appreciate them, this gives you the best chances to be retained and rehired.

If you want to have a conversation on how to structure these types of conversations with your client, give ActionCOACH - Business Coaching a call at 972 709 6776 for a complimentary coaching session.