Running a business means dealing with people: Welcoming people, engaging people, reassuring people, serving people. When people come to your business for a product or service, they come with their own expectations of their customer experience. People build these expectations around past experiences, their own hopes and desires, the testimony of friends, reviews of your business, and your marketing and advertisements. A client centers their overall experience with your brand around whether their expectations are met, disappointed, or exceeded. Sounds precarious, right? But, it is possible to consistently exceed customer expectations. Check out these 4 ways to manage your client’s expectations.
Anticipate Your Client’s Needs and Concerns
If you can effectively anticipate your client’s needs, you can exceed their expectations from the start of the relationship. Answer a question a client might have without them even needing to bring it up. This reassures them of your expertise and thoughtfulness as a contractor.
Put yourself in your client’s shoes. How would you want a contractor to handle a project for you? If you provide service that would exceed your own expectations, you can bet it will exceed your client’s expectations as well.
Listen Closely to Your Client’s Expectations
Don’t assume that every client will be content with a cookie-cutter solution. Listen closely when they share their thoughts and expectations around your relationship. Take real action to include their thoughts in the project plan. It may take a little time upfront for your to hear and act on what your client wants. But it will pay off dividends in the end when you have a happy and content customer who spreads their love of your company to everyone they know.
Set Realistic Goals and Deliverables
Next, it is tempting to promise a client the perfect customer experience in an attempt to get their business. However, promising something you can’t guarantee sets you up to disappoint on an impossible expectation that you created. Set realistic goals and deliverables with each client that you know are possible. Work together to complete your timeline, and when something gets off track, make it right as soon as you possibly can. All in all, if you can’t guarantee something, don’t!
Communicate Honestly and Frequently
Finally, once you have set realistic expectations with the client, keep them updated throughout the scope of the project. If something changes or is no longer possible, communicate that honestly with the client. It helps to come prepared with solutions and suggestions on how you plan to fix the project. Adjust client expectations as necessary before they have a chance to be disappointed. Consequently, when the client feels kept in the loop, their trust in you grows.
It is Possible to Manage Your Client’s Expectations!
With some attention to detail and open communication, you can exceed the expectations of every client. Start with these 4 ways to manage your client’s expectations and develop expectation management processes that work for your business. And when you need a little help, how to offer financing as a contractor can be a breeze. Partner with HFS Financial to solve your client’s financing concerns before they are even mentioned. Contact us today to get started! With our handy widget on your website, clients can apply directly for their home improvement loans. With no staged financing, you’ll be able to get the project done in a timely manner — exceeding your client’s expectations. “You Dream It, We Finance It.”