As a business owner you are passionate about your product and you want it to succeed. However, pleasing your clients can be very difficult when they do not feel the same passion for your product. Factors that make pleasing your clients a struggle include setting expectations, difficulty hitting deadlines, and customer service flaws.

Setting Expectations

Listening to, understanding, and meeting client expectations is especially tricky. It can be hard to find the right balance between going the extra mile to surprise client expectations and operating within your realm of what is possible. Being upfront from the very beginning is key to managing client expectations. Set out your rules and keep a realistic timetable; every project will have restraints. Communicating those restraints with your client will give them understanding and grace for the time you need. Remember, it is always better to underpromise and overdeliver.

Difficulty Hitting Deadlines

Consistently meeting deadlines is a cornerstone of a successful small business’s reputation. Failure to meet deadlines on a regular basis can taint the image of your brand and cost you money. However, consistently delivering on time builds a reputation of being a reliable and dependable business. To ease the difficulty of meeting deadlines, you must set reasonable deadlines throughout the production process. Be respectful but firm with time management. Look for ways you can be more efficient in your processes. Continuous improvement helps you organize processes efficiently and hit deadlines.

Customer Service

Creating a standard for excellent customer service can be difficult, especially because every customer is different. Reality is that you cannot please every customer. Sometimes bad things happen, and despite your best efforts, a customer will be dissatisfied. However, you can mitigate customer displeasure by aiming for excellent customer service. Listening, understanding, and fulfilling a customer’s needs are key elements in separating yourself from other businesses. As you identify yourself as someone that can reliably listen to your customers, understand what they need, and follow through, you will exceed your customer’s expectations. Going above and beyond with customer service will help you stand out from your competition and retain satisfied clients.

Working with clients is always stressful. However, success and growth of your business depends on your clients. When working with clients, be sure to manage their expectations from the beginning, organize your management processes to successfully hit deadlines, and implement positive customer service practices.

Starting a business is a great achievement, but there are some things you need to know to keep it growing. Check out this article for tips to help you succeed!