Summary: Additional Info: 1. Understand your client The starting point for being able to add value to your client relationships has to be gaining a clear understanding of your client, their business, and their personal and business goals. It is also vital to understand what they currently value from their service relationship with you. 2. Make it clear and easy to do business with you At the start of any transaction with a client, you should ensure that there is complete clarity between both parties with regards to the scope, delivery and form of the service to be provided. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for your clients to do business with you. For many firms there has been a reluctance to provide this information in the necessary detail. The core information to be communicated to the client should include: • the scope of the core work to be undertaken by the firm; • the scope of the work to be carried out by the client to enable the firm to carry out its work; • the timeframe for the project as a whole and any interim timelines that need to be achieved including any progress reporting; • who will be carrying out the work on the part of the firm and their contact details; • what will be the outputs from the work and how it will be delivered (i.e., documentation and what format it will take - digital or hard copy); • the core fee for the work to be done and the basis upon which any expenses are to be charged; • how any additional work that is necessary outside the core work will be communicated to the client, agreed and billed. 3. Keep your promises Meeting deadlines plays a vital role in developing the level of trust upon which successful relationships so strongly depend. All too often in an attempt to impress clients or add value to a relationship, promises are made to clients that are unrealistic and, as a consequence, expectations are not met. Avoid agreeing to or imposing unrealistically tight deadlines on yourself or your team which cannot be met. Seek to do the reverse, under-promise and over-deliver. This creates a most positive impression in clients’ minds because it is so rare. It gives a real opportunity to add value and impress. Where you know you cannot satisfy a commitment you have made to a client for whatever reason, flag it up to them as soon as possible. Don’t delay and always offer a revised solution. 4. Be proactive When you contact your client about matters that concern them that are outside of the routine transactions you are contracted to provide, this will be a clear demonstration that you care about them and their business. It shows you are always looking to act in their best interests. This has a high propensity to be seen as adding value to the relationship for many clients. A lack of proactive advice from their accountants is another primary source of dissatisfaction highlighted in recent small business surveys. 5. Train your client’s team and your own team The firm that seeks opportunities to help their client’s team to become more skilled in their roles, even in skills that they are currently engaging you to provide, will again encourage those clients to view you more as a long-term business partner rather than merely as a provider of technical expertise. Source: http://files.mercia-group.co.uk/add_value_to_your_clients_relationships.pdf If you haven't joined my #ATSBusinessUniversity community, you need to jump on it ASAP! By joining #ATSBusinessUniversity you will put yourself on the fast track to becoming a millionaire, you get more than 9 trainings a week, including business, marketing, and sales training, access to my exclusive keynotes, real estate training, and more winking You can join here: https://www.theatsjr.com/ats-business-university Thank you for watching this video. I hope that you keep up with the daily videos I post on the channel, subscribe, and share your learnings with those that ne(continued)
