The importance of communicating with clients

In my article on business commitments, we discussed how people are used to business suppliers letting them down. Missed deadlines, project delays, unexpected costs, being late for appointments… they’re all par for the course.

If simply doing what you say you’ll do sets you apart, what if you could take that up a level? Keeping your clients in the loop with regular update emails allows you to do just that. For example:

Dear Jo,
Just a quick update on your [product/service/project].
It’s all coming together well and will be delivered on Tuesday by 5pm as promised.
Kind regards,

Simple as it seems, this proactive action of communicating with clients has a big effect. It reassures those worried about deadlines. It communicates with you clients that you’re organised, thorough and focused on their project. It confirms that you’re not rushing it at the last minute. It delivers certainty.

Want more articles like this? Check out the customer service section.

You don’t need to change the way you work, just how often you communicate. Regularly touching base with your clients elevates you from just another supplier to a reliable partner.

When people buy, it’s never just about the products or services. Clients want a supplier that makes their life easy. A supplier that makes them look good in front of their colleagues. One they don’t have to stress about. And many clients, particularly corporates, will pay a premium for that peace of mind.

It’s like they say about getting ahead in the business world: it’s not enough to do a great job, you have to make sure that the boss knows that you’re doing a great job too.

Tell them you’ll do it. Tell them you’re doing it. Tell them you did it.

Guess who they’ll ask to do it again next time? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the importance of communicating with clients.