THURSDAY'S THRILL: Hold this trout...

Have you seen the old Saturday Night Live gag, Nick Burns, the company computer guy?

Rex Frank of Sea-Level Ops sent it to me before our discussion of soft skill training this past Tuesday.  Compare Nick’s approach to the Charm School behaviors you teach your people…  and the way they behave on the job.

Click here to learn more about how easy (and cheap) it is to use Dave’s Charm School in your organization.

What’s the “trout” I am talking about?  Read on…

Why do we have relationships with our Clients?

I suggest the key reason is CONNECTION.  Whether we are meeting with a prospective client for the first time, or at any time during our business relationship, one of the major reasons they work with us is connection.

What do I mean by "connection?"

#1 - Our services connect to solve business problems for them.

#2 - We connect new profits to their organization through innovative, reliable technology they did not realize existed, and/or knew how to fully use.  (And we prove it.)

#3 - We set expectations realistically, and connect with their trust by consistently meeting or exceeding those expectations.

#4 - When things go wrong for them, we connect their desire for a solution to rapid resolution.

#5 - They like us.  Yes, as silly as that sounds, it is true.  Clients who connect with us personally stay with us longer.

We can give Clients a wise the IT strategy, deliver flawless project implementation, and/or provide competent technical support.  Yet they can still have technology challenges due to competition, market changes, new government regulations, flawed manufacturer hardware or software, hackers, or another problem.

IT happens.

However, when it does, retaining Client relationships is relatively simple when we do the five things above consistently, correctly, and communicate well with our Clients.

But…  When we fail in any of these areas, retaining our Client relationships is like trying to hold on to a newly caught trout in your bare hands.

What is my point?

Keep It Simple, Superstar.  Get a better plan, and focus better on your implementation of it.

It actually is relatively simple.

A key leadership activity to improve your business is to define the key metrics of CONNECTION with your Clients as I have above.  Then implement a new habit or discipline:  Each week in your Sanctuary time, consider where your organization stands with each of your major Clients in these five areas, or a separate list of metrics you define.

Typically 3-7 metrics is plenty.  Get those right, and the others take care of themselves.

The discipline of weekly self-accountability will save you millions in the long run and maximize Client retention / profitability / WIN-WIN’s.

Thrill rides are for amusement parks, not Client relationships.  (Or employee relationships, but that’s a different conversation.)