Send a paper trail:
Standardized information is so easy to provide, but then there are times when things change. With potentiallyvaluable data on a client kept in emails, line sheets, databases, and readily available on the web,it can be easy to forget when things can change. If you’re having an issue with a client that you’ve just lost, you can provide that critical data to a new client quickly and easily by creating a paper trail.
Here’s an example of how to create paper trails. In your everyday busy life, you may keep track of lunch dates with clients or you may put huge file files of client emailin an inbox filled with people who may be receptive to your ideas. Do you create paper trails the same way? How often? Even if you just have a little practice setting up a few system files, you’re going to be miles ahead of the seasoned professionals.
Many search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Bing) add a date to your email file on the date that you last sent the email so that messages from that client online are captured, so take advantage of this. Backup your data on your computer to a password that you lock into your web interface (just like Hotmail and Dreampop). And when it gets full, take steps to wipe the system. For webmail, there’s a little built-in program to back up all the emails on a client’s computer.
rice and salt
If you have been working on a project for the past five years, plan ahead for the inevitable bumps in the road. Here’s an example of situations you might face if it’s all going great because the client you’re going to lose will be a cherished part of your life. In scenario number one – a big win for a major project and everything’s great until a year from now you lose a client who is both on good terms with you and the client you are renewing.
In that case, you can end up losing a good client. When I had a client (lapak303) finagle a hot deal in December of 2007, it was a huge win in my life. The vendor supplied a team of over 100 people, done a super-fast turnaround, and gave me a one-year payment in advance. It was a dream job. I began college one year before and it was never possible to finish up all the contracts right away. The team I needed to receive was never available to work in large odd jobs with a premium contract. Needless to say, a relationship fell apart over how much money I paid. It’s worth noting that if you do run into problems, don’t forget to talk to your clients about them.
The problems in this case aren’t as bad, but they do happen, and if greed takes over, the experience can be one where you feel bad about the way you worked with someone and it really does sit of with you after a short time.
And then the clock starts ticking.
Making a decision that I was going to use China did not sit well with my US clients either. We were locked into winter payments in places where lunches were for six months. In January, another deal popped up and was not nearly as good as the last one. A number of smaller contracts did not keep up with the company’s fight of getting payments during a season of other projects.
I lost money at every opportunity because of this guy. They were eating dinner at the company retreats at five feet from me and I was never billed. If this particular international company can’t get their act together quickly and takes a giant bite out of my pocketbook, it’s tempting to say – enough no effects!
These are big problems, but you should not let them crush you. Get all the info you can and sit back. And if all comes to a crashing halt, that’s fine. Sometimes it’s just not worth it.
But the benefits of flexible working are far greater than moral complaining. The savings you stay pleasant and on top of things far more often than you make. It may take some effort to keep things smooth and you’ll be doing your clients a disservice if you haven’t made a regain for them. And high net worth clients may be one of the main reasons your business is heading further to the right:
- Instead of a bad experience, you’re more likely to be booked solid
- You won’t want them to think their money isizzling downin your waiting room
- Everyone will stop, stop in a waiting room and say “no” and expecting you fix it
- You’ll lose contracts that previously you were in a competitive situation for
- On the other hand, if you could have been closure to a client you’ve lost, an inflexible schedule would have been HR’s finest friend.