Most of us believe we know our clients, however when it comes to understanding where they find value from the services we provide, we may not always see eye-to-eye.
The following questions are a great jumping point to assess why and where those discrepancies arise:
- Who are our clients? Why do they give us their business? What do they want from us and how often do they want it?
- Once an engagement begins, how are decisions made? Who makes them? Is the staff empowered to act in the best interests of the client while preserving the culture of the firm?
- How do our clients define quality? Where are we undershooting and overshooting their expectations?
- How well are we collaborating and interacting internally? Does work get delayed as it flows between team members?
- What are our priorities relative to our work processes? Are they the right priorities? Are they part of our culture?
Now that you’ve asked the questions, don’t stop there. Take that important information you just acquired and turn it into action. How? Here are a few first steps:
- Delegate more work to younger staff members. They may need better tools, but it will also help to increase their skills and competencies.
- Establish clear priorities that are more relevant to your staff and clients. This will enable you to better allocate your resources.
- Improve internal collaboration capabilities. Technology can be a big help here.