It doesn’t matter, the critical point is, businesses and leaders must be prepared to invest more time in caring for their clients.
Personally, I like to call it Client Insights, a strategic approach to gather quantitative and qualitative data, undertake deep analysis and act on feedback from your clients. It’s about understanding client expectations and their experiences to improve service delivery and strengthen client relationships.
To genuinely improve client experience, it is essential you seek client feedback to measure and benchmark your performance to truly understand your clients’ experience, their expectations, challenges and future business needs.
Client Insights provides independent, honest and constructive feedback. Client feedback enables you to understand areas where you can bring greater insight and expertise. It helps you understand how your clients see your performance against your brand, values and vision, including competitors, which informs leadership, investment and strategy.
Is a client feedback survey enough? Whilst a survey does provide scores and some comments, it’s not enough. Clients can get survey fatigue and at times skim over the questions just to finish the survey.
Client Insights is about having a face-to-face conversation with the client, taking them through a series of questions to guide the conversation, including asking for scores. The conversation allows for deeper probing and richer feedback which a survey can’t provide.
Client Insights enables you to:
• Analyse key themes and scores
• Identify clear actionable outcomes
• Develop and implement an action plan
• Accelerate business development opportunities
• Improve client experience and service delivery
• Demonstrate caring for your clients
• Retain and grow your clients
• Support staff development and performance
Bringing client feedback to life improves the client experience and creates opportunities for growth. To understand clients’ expectations, their challenges and aspirations, be open to their feedback and be prepared to walk in their shoes.
You must see your client for who they are, not just for the service you provide them.
Marlene has conducted over 800 interviews with Executives, Management and Non-Executive Directors of ASX, Private, Government, Family Business and NFP organisations.
Please contact Marlene Elliott marlene.elliott@vuca.com.au if you would like to discuss Client Insights further.
Marlene Elliott
General Manager & Director, VUCA Trusted Advisors