How to Win in Client Service

Pioneer: Your strength is your confidence that things will work out.

• You start by saying, “I can solve this,” which immediately allays my anxiety. Give me two concrete reasons why you are so confident.

• You are resilient. If you run into a dead end, you immediately double back and discover a new route. You just won’t give up. While I appreciate your tenacity, I don’t necessarily need to see it in action. Set a time and method to follow up with me. Save my time.

• You are knowledgeable. You align yourself with products that you believe will be around for the long run. Show some of your research to reassure me that I haven’t invested in something that is going to be defunct in a year . . . or, if you think it is, tell me how I won’t wind up looking stupid.

• You know the shortcuts. I rely on you to find the quick and easy way to get things done. Depending on the product or situation, it may be very important for me to learn the shortcut too. Ask me if I’m interested in understanding how you find and take these shortcuts.

• The effort of calling me or e-mailing me personally when your team has or hasn’t met my expectations is genuinely appreciated and often unexpected. Reassure me of what you are going to do to ensure my expectations are exceeded next time around, and I’ll assure you there will be a next time. My loyalty to your brand has a lot to do with this level of personal connection.

• Keep me abreast of changes in my industry. While I may already be aware of them, it’s nice to know that someone else out there is watching out for me and wants me to be successful too.