My primary responsibility is to act as liaison between my clients and my vendors. My success hinges on my ability to properly assess what a client needs and wants in one discussion.
My business has taught me that assessing is my strength. With confidence I can say, I'm good at at. Often I have clients overwhelmed who don't even know what they want. I listen, observe and then tell them what they want. Ok, that souds a tad bit Mafioso. What I'm really doing is saying, "Here's what I hear from you." Then I guide them in that direction with well plotted suggestions leaving no room for questions on their end. This decreases uncertainty and, in return, decreases stress.
After I am certain that I know what the client wants, I then contact all my vendors for products/services & pricing. Instead of my client having dozens of conversations with numerous vendors, they have one conversation with me.
This leaves me talking to many business owners with different talents. As I act as client on behalf of my clients, I've noticed a common habit among many professionals: Treating the client as the professional.
Here's what I mean. Let's say you want your family room painted. A painter comes over to see the room and take measurements. He then asks, "What kind of paint do you want me to use?"
Perhaps you know a little about paint and know how to answer that question, but 95% of those calling a painter to paint for them, do not. That's why they called the painter in the first place. This response leaves the client overwhelmed because they suddenly have to learn about paint.
A better response from the painter might be, "Since this is a family room, I would suggest a low VOC eggshell or satin that's easier to clean."
This response puts a period on the project alleviating stress on not only the client, but the painter so that they both have a better experience.
That's a pretty straight forward example, but there are dozens that I hear every day that aren't so clear cut. There's a definite trick to knowing exactly what questions you need answered from the client and what you can infer based on their needs and your experience.
I've found the client doesn't care about the minute details. They just see the overall picture and want the professional to figure out the logistics. It may take work on the part of the professional to perfect the way they get information from a client, but in the long run, it will save everyone a lot of headache!
Please note the thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are based on the experiences of the author. The information contained in this blog is in no way meant to take the place of professional advice. It is only meant as insight into the world of a small business owner. As always, thank you for visiting and feel free to share your own experiences or conerns by leaving a comment.