Don’t Have Regular Feedback Conversations with Clients? You’re Leaving $$ on the Table.

Oct 9

Why Implement a Feedback Process?

Soliciting feedback from clients is always a good idea - it’s an opportunity to hear what you’re doing well (a great opportunity for testimonials), what you need to improve (likely applicable to other clients too) and it can lead to more growth for your business as you deepen and develop relationships with your clients.

You can always send out a form survey, but the level of effort expended will be equal to the quality of feedback you receive. How often do you complete those automated feedback requests you receive? Unless your experience has been extraordinary in either a positive or a negative way, your motivation to fill it out is low.

What’s much better is a personal call or meeting. That’s how you deepen the client relationship, learn about future opportunities and create the opportunity to ask for a referral to a new potential client.

Make Feedback Conversations Routine

It’s most effective when it’s a regular part of your process. Retained clients should have a feedback session scheduled quarterly, or possibly after a set of key deliverables, and project based clients should have a session scheduled at the conclusion of the project.

I recommend you make scheduling the first feedback session part of your onboarding process for new clients or projects.

If you haven’t been regularly asking clients for feedback Q4 is the best time to schedule feedback sessions with existing clients to find out what they have planned for the remainder of the year and into the new year.

Framework for A Feedback Conversation

A feedback conversation isn’t all that different from any other conversation. Here’s what it looks like:

1. Connect through rapport

2. Review what you already know

3. Ask for feedback (get permission to take notes!)

3. Inquire about current issues and future goals

4. Problem solving

5. Ask for referrals

Listening is key! You’re listening for what’s being said and also what’s not being said.

Key Questions to Ask in a Feedback Conversation

In the past few months as we’ve been working on [PROJECTS], what’s gone particularly well?
Is there anything we could have done better?
Did we provide enough action/communication, too much, or just enough?
Did the team assigned to you meet your expectations?
Are you happy with our collaboration?
What would make your experience with [YOUR COMPANY] even better?
Etc. Add more here to tie into the other metrics you are tracking and things specific to what you want to measure.

Thank your client for the feedback.

Uncover Opportunities

Now’s your chance to uncover potential opportunities. Some suggested questions:

What else are you hoping to accomplish this year?
What’s coming up next?
What are your priorities for the next [TIME PERIOD]?
Have any additional risk factors become apparent?
What’s your next project/deliverable?
Any new products/services being developed?
What are [CLIENT NAME]’s goals next year?
What would make your job a little easier?
What capabilities would you like to see?
Are there any other departments/colleagues who could benefit from working with [YOUR COMPANY] in a similar way? -> Would you be able to connect us?

*** A great question/statement to get more detail: Tell me more about that.

And don’t forget, these feedback conversations are a great way to get to know your client better as a person. Business begins with personal relationships after all.

Segue into Requesting Referrals

Who would you rather purchase from? A company your friend or colleague has used successfully, or a completely unknown company?

When you’re already talking to a client and asking for feedback, it’s a perfect time to request a referral too.

If you and your organization have delivered the service you promised to your client, met his objectives, and been pleasant to work with throughout, why wouldn’t he be happy referring you to someone else? The icky factor here is in making the ask. It feels like an imposition.

Except it’s not. When you’ve done great work on a client’s job, he’ll be very happy to help you by providing a referral. In many cases he may do so without prompting.

But you can make it super easy for him, especially as part of a follow up process, as outlined below. A phone call out of the blue asking for referrals might come across as a little odd!

How to Ask for a Referral

Ask your client for an introduction to a specific named person whom you have already researched as a potential target client. This is the best way to ‘land and expand’ within existing client accounts where you have only a fraction of the potential business AND to get connected with entirely new potential clients.

Sure, you can always ask if they know anyone who would be a good connection, but that makes extra work for your client. It’s a lot more effective when you ask for an introduction to a specific, named individual. And yes, you may ask for an introduction to someone your client doesn’t really know well enough, but you might also ask for an introduction to their childhood best friend. You won’t know until you ask!

Provide a pre-drafted email introduction (see below for a template) to a specific person that you know your client knows.

Here’s how to ask for the referral in either case:

“Client, you seem pleased with the work we’ve done for you and we’ve helped you meet [objective]. Would you feel comfortable recommending [YOUR COMPANY NAME] to another firm?”

If yes, then proceed with: “I’d be interested in working with [NAME OF TARGET CLIENT]. Could you introduce us? I can send you an email that you can use to make it easy for you.”

If no, then you might want to ask if there is anything specific that is making them hesitate that you could address to ensure that you continue to provide the best possible service. At this point it becomes a more detailed feedback session because there is obviously something you need to improve.

The feedback/referral process should be just as much a part of your customer service experience as marketing, sales and service delivery.

Business that arrives on your doorstep via referrals is more profitable; it costs far less for you to acquire and it’s more likely to be a longer-term relationship. The time consuming know-like-trust process has been circumvented, making it easier for both buyer and seller.

Kim Fredrich