23:26
Faizan
The overused ''individual approach'' is promised by businesses to every client. Indeed, each person is unique in essence but once people become clients, they attain certain traits and show certain behavior that can be roughly categorized. Depending on their 'category' (which can be a mix of them as well), you'll know how to deal with them efficiently and keep them satisfied. Most of your clients, whatever your business is about, may be as follows:
Rainbow Chaser
The dreams (read: ideas) of such clients may often lack substance and details behind them. They have extremely high expectations, but see yourself whether you are able to impress such a client. It's rather rewarding - and it may be possible to bring a rainbow chaser back to the reality.
Let's include here people who are rather unclear about what they want. The common thing is that they are unprepared and you'll have lots of work to do. They may change their mind now and then, so be patient and get the ideas approved in a precise way.
The idea may be weird or not, but if it can work, together you may turn it into something viable. To make it possible, be very straightforward and rational with budget and deadlines. When clarifying all the details, which isn't very common with rainbow chasers, be prepared to make lots of suggestions.
Non-Decisionmaker
These are people who speak on behalf of bigger authorities and themselves need approvals for decisions. Such people can easily be unprepared for the questions you ask. Thus the key is understanding what their superiors want and need. To achieve that, questions should not come from you gradually one by one, there has to be a stack of questions, so that none of them gets missing.
Be sure that things will take more time with questions moving up and answers coming down. Be one step ahead and ask important things beforehand to be prepared to the next stage of providing your client with products and/or services.
Fast Runner
Deadlines are natural but some clients always need to hasten things up, be it their personal wish or a movement influenced by some external force. What matters to them is time, time, and time. What can make things worse, this haste can mean these people are very busy - and may as well have little time for you.
If a project can be done in three months, such people may want you to finish it all in two - make sure they understand it's next to impossible. Be very cautious about expectations. If you accept the unrealistic deadlines bound by a contract, poor quality of the outcome will be your responsibility. If the deadlines cannot compromise quality, you only have to figure out what's needed, stay flexible, and proceed with focus, planning, and breaks to gather breath.
Rainbow Chaser
The dreams (read: ideas) of such clients may often lack substance and details behind them. They have extremely high expectations, but see yourself whether you are able to impress such a client. It's rather rewarding - and it may be possible to bring a rainbow chaser back to the reality.
Let's include here people who are rather unclear about what they want. The common thing is that they are unprepared and you'll have lots of work to do. They may change their mind now and then, so be patient and get the ideas approved in a precise way.
The idea may be weird or not, but if it can work, together you may turn it into something viable. To make it possible, be very straightforward and rational with budget and deadlines. When clarifying all the details, which isn't very common with rainbow chasers, be prepared to make lots of suggestions.
Non-Decisionmaker
These are people who speak on behalf of bigger authorities and themselves need approvals for decisions. Such people can easily be unprepared for the questions you ask. Thus the key is understanding what their superiors want and need. To achieve that, questions should not come from you gradually one by one, there has to be a stack of questions, so that none of them gets missing.
Be sure that things will take more time with questions moving up and answers coming down. Be one step ahead and ask important things beforehand to be prepared to the next stage of providing your client with products and/or services.
Fast Runner
Deadlines are natural but some clients always need to hasten things up, be it their personal wish or a movement influenced by some external force. What matters to them is time, time, and time. What can make things worse, this haste can mean these people are very busy - and may as well have little time for you.
If a project can be done in three months, such people may want you to finish it all in two - make sure they understand it's next to impossible. Be very cautious about expectations. If you accept the unrealistic deadlines bound by a contract, poor quality of the outcome will be your responsibility. If the deadlines cannot compromise quality, you only have to figure out what's needed, stay flexible, and proceed with focus, planning, and breaks to gather breath.
Posted in: business
