The journey to "Delighted Client"

I had a chance the other day to reflect on where we are trying to get to in a particular client relationship. We have delivered on the initial phase of our work and I am preparing to meet with the executive board to discuss further opportunities in the New Year.
Instead of just going back to our proposal I wanted to develop what we have learnt since starting work with them, and in particular how we can develop a mutual goal in terms of sustainable cost and purchase management, rather than just savings.

The more I think about it the more I realise that the client development process is relative only to the strategic intent of both ourselves and, most importantly, the client. What I mean is the extent to which each side sees value from putting more effort into the relationship. Obviously the higher the strategic intent the greater the envisioned results and therefore the greater effort applied.

Effort can be categorised in two ways: firstly an increase in points of contact, ie moving from a simple 1:1 relationship through to a more complex, team on team basis. Secondly, the nature of the relationships will move from a 'transactional' basis towards a genuine mutually beneficial one - where we are working towards joint objectives.

So what tools can we use to help guide us as to where we want to go? There can be 4 models of relationship we could aim for, remembering that we need to be driven by our understanding of the strategic intent of the client, which in itself means we have to ask good questions and really listen to the answers.

The 4 models I have used in the past include:

1. Bow Tie
2. One on many
3. Cotton Reel
4. Diamond

Whilst it will appear that these are just business speak clichés, in reality they are a great way of mapping where we are going with a specific client and also to direct the way we continue to grow with the client.
In my next post I will try to explore each model so that we get a clear view of each one.

The need for mutuality
Just a word of caution to this though - no particular model can be forced onto a client so in this sense the model you get is the one you deserve.
This will need a great deal of patience on our part as it is not unusual for our strategic intent to be way ahead of the clients!
At our recent conference we heard from a client who is not only delighted by us but also introduces us to other businesses and he gave us a list of why he is a delighted client, he used the acronym TRUST meaning Time, Risk Free, Understanding, Specialists and Trust itself. This last point is important for us to recognise - that they have to trust us through the actions we deliver first before any development can take place. Powerful insights that are invaluable to us.

A different way to look at Client Review meetings 2

Last time I discussed the NISE framework and fleshed out the first two steps. Here are my thoughts about the final two areas S and E.

Services: that could add value. As I said earlier it is highly unlikely that the client is aware of everything we can offer. This is our opportunity to familiarize them with services they currently do not use.
You can link this into the simple client development matrix I discussed in a previous posting. Case studies are a good idea to show success previously or better still invite the relevant expert to talk to the client. Again it is upto us to ensure that it is meaningful and relevant to the client.

Extra: by providing something that adds value to what we do, however small. It might be an article or a book you have read recently. Perhaps a piece of information that shows we are thinking about them and the issues they face.


If the meeting goes well, and there is every chance if you follow this process, then it is an ideal time to ask for a referral to others who they feel would benefit from our services. And let's not forget that asking for a testimonial , which in turn helps you with reassuring other clients, is invaluable.

A different way to look at Client Review meetings

After a successful client meeting this week I had a chance to review why it went well. I use a process that has the acronym NISE. Very simple to use as a framework ( which is why it is rarely used I guess!) Below I discuss the first two:

News: about us, events, results etc. This should be sharp and to the point. It always concerns me that companies present their credentials only to potential new business! Why not existing clients as well?? It makes sense if you think about it - the clients view of our business is only relevant at the last point you told them about us.
The other thought is that they will more than likely have our competitors calling them and they will be presenting their case from the point of developing new business. It follows that the client may well know more about our competitors abilities than ours!!!
Final word on this is just to say this must be brief.

Issues: about the clients business. This should be the main part of our agenda. What are the two or three most pressing issues that the client is facing? Where could we potentially help them? For example are they facing currency issues and can we assist them in reviewing their banking options? Are fuel costs a large expense and due to rising prices hurting margin? Could we review this area and attempt to redress the balance? Are they having to keep investing in new IT infrastructure to keep competitive? Can we advise them?

I'll discuss the other two areas next time but suffice it to say that ithe onus is on us to make these meetings both stimulating and informative!

Planning for the future

Spent some time today building up both a current picture of where we are with a client at the moment and also looking at where there may be opportunities for us to assist the client further in their cost management activities.
Using a tool based on a simple matrix I quickly identified, based on my discussions with the client, that we were only seeing about 5% of the potential with this client. Just plotting all our potential cost areas in which we have expertise and comparing that with the current areas under review showed this in a simple format. This simple analysis helps drive our thoughts and in producing a proposal that means something to the client.
Of course there are a number of other things to consider, such as the relevant stakeholder in the client and whether the client sees each individual cost area as a priority, but at least this can now aid a planned approach to the client and help us to agree together what the priorities should be.
Matching our expertise alongside the clients needs is always a moving target and will always be driven as much by our 'gut feel' as by the analysis. We are a relationship business after all.