Remember that scene in The Ten Commandments when Charlton Heston comes down the mountain with the stone tablets, only to discover that the people have made a mess of things at the foot of the mountain? And so he holds the tablets over his head and flings them into the crowd, shouting, “If you won’t live by the law…you’ll die by the law!”
While I’m not about to do anything nearly as a dramatic as that, I will point out that Heston’s Moses had a point. When it comes to client service, your business coaching practice will live or die based on how well you treat your clients–and so I’ve developed my own 10 Commandments of Client Service.
Follow them, and you’ll create client loyalty by delivering massive value to your clients as quickly as possible.
Neglect them, and your client relationships will be full of mistrust and disappointed expectations.
Yes, it really is that important.
The 10 Commandments of Client Service
Follow these ten commandments of client service, and you'll create client loyalty by delivering massive value to your clients as quickly as possible. Neglect them, and your client relationships will be full of mistrust and disappointed expectations.
- Don’t expect your clients to tolerate client service mistakes.
- Always do what you say you will do when you say you will do it.
- Never, ever make a promise that you’re not absolutely sure you can keep, because promise-breaking is the same as lying.
- Never try to remember your promises. Write them on a task list.
- Remember that unacknowledged communication is the most profound form of disrespect.
- Reply to every inbound email or phone call within half the time your clients expect you to reply.
- Review your task list before the end of the day to make sure you haven’t broken any promises.
- If it appears that you won’t be able to keep a promise, re-negotiate before the deadline.
- Always use autoresponders and voice mail messages to communicate your absence so you don’t appear non-responsive.
- Communication technology problems are never acceptable excuses for breaking promises, so make sure your technology is working.
Treating your clients the way they deserve to be treated is absolutely critical to building a thriving business coaching firm, because when you do, you’ll open the floodgates of referrals and positive word-of-mouth.
Looking for more great business-building tips like these? Download a copy of our FREE ebook, Secrets of a Business Coaching Rock Star.
