For when things have become that little bit stuck…
Client Relationship Rescue
In a nutshell…
Your answer to client relationships gone wrong
From a client relations and client success professional with 18 years in the field
Prioritising professionalism, integrity and success
No client too large or small
Win-win outcomes - always
Why Client Relationship Rescue?
Relationships are hard right? Not just beginning and building them, but also maintaining and keeping them. Because people are not rational beings - we have feelings, egos, our own personal needs and a unique way of seeing the world.
And this is as true in the commercial world as it is in our personal worlds.
So it is inevitable that from time to time client relationships sour or prove tricky. But essential that these relationships are paid attention to and cared for - for the longevity of the business, and to avoid the kind of relationship degradation that ends up in separation or churn.
And yet sometimes it goes wrong.
Which is where Client Rescue comes in - a leveraging of 18 years’ experience in client relations and client success to provide long-lasting solutions for the trickiest of relationships.
So whether it’s just a hiccup you’re experiencing or a seemingly insurmountable challenge, you can expect a professional yet honest approach that addresses your problems quickly - for a rapid rediscovery of trust and the recovery of that mutually beneficial partnership you started with.
Suitability
Is it for me?
If you’re a business leader and it’s becoming increasingly apparent your client relationships are going (or have gone) somewhat sour, then yes.
…and there are different manifestations of this.
So it might be that your client base is a small set of high-value clients where you can’t afford to lose any
Or that your biggest client is nearing end-of-contract and you’re concerned you’re not on the best footing to renew
Or even that you’re worried your account managers might need some support in handling a particularly lucrative brand name
Whatever the problem is though, one thing is clear - that Client Relationship Rescue is your next step towards success.
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What might be some signs that I’m a good fit?
There are many signs that things aren’t quite on the right track but here are a few that you might recognise. More than anything though I’d tell you to trust your gut - i.e. if it feels wrong it probably is wrong.
Clients no longer believe what you’re telling them
Your CSAT or NPS scores have nose-dived
Making contact with key client stakeholders has become hard
There’s one particular client name that keeps cropping up negatively within your team
“Jaime has a win-win style that brings value for all.”
The process
Lay of the land
First things first, let’s have a conversation with the appropriate leadership to shed light on matters as a starting point.
With an NDA place you’re confident in being able to talk through the issue transparently and we can quickly get to an understanding of where you’re at and with whom, what the context is, what the key issues are and - crucially - where you’re looking to get to.
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Stakeholder engagement
If things are to improve it’s important to get to the heart of the matter, which of course means getting to know the people involved i.e. your stakeholders - but not only yours, those of the client too.
It’s achieved through a series of 1:1 interviews - ideally in person, and preferably in an environment that serves to defuse heightened emotion. Perhaps that’s simply a neutral off-site meeting point but just maybe instead it’s an outdoors walk - an approach that is unique to me and leverages my specialist outdoor facilitation expertise to invite open and receptive minds into the mix.
Put simply, I’m looking to understand the various complaints, perspectives and concerns - before being able to synthesise meaning from the whole and advise you on the real trouble at hand.
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Relationship rescue
With a clear understanding of the issues and a roadmap to resolve them, my role now becomes somewhat of a mediator - guiding the rebuilding exercise that sets both parties back on a route to success.
Likely, this means acting as ‘point person’ for yourself and the client in question - leading on discussions and negotiations, hosting meetings (even QBRs), setting and managing expectations and anything else required to move the pieces into place for a robust rebuilding of the relationship.
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Closing out
Of course all work is done in close relationship with existing client/account management so that - come the appropriate time - the appropriate closing out steps can be set in play.
Precisely how we close out however is really dependent on the circumstances at hand. So where all is resolved, the incident was a blip and the management of the relationship is otherwise good, it can all be handed back ready to roll. But where there’s an identified need for some operational change or team coaching to prevent future occurrences support for that can be activated too.
What that might look like? Here are some examples:
Specific training/knowledge transfer activities for selected teams/team members
An updated framework for account managers to ensure improved client engagement
A review of departmental/organisational client-centricity
A root and branch overhaul of internal operational processes
Expected outcomes based on my track record in this area include…
A more partner-oriented relationship, signified by mutual trust and respect
A shared understanding of primary ‘sticking points’ - with a roadmap to resolve them in the future
An overall more client-centric approach to account management
More effective communications strategies - for problem clients and beyond
A tangible increase in NPS/CSAT scores
Organic client growth and white space penetration
Your outcomes
FAQs
If you’re ready and you’d like to discuss Client Relationship Rescue, please get in touch or alternatively check out some FAQs below.
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Do you have security clearance?
Yes. I’ve worked extensively with public sector clients - both central and local government, as well as blue light services and have all the appropriate SC clearance.
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What specific experience do you have in this area?
I’ve worked directly (and indirectly) with client relationships for going on two decades and my experience in this area is vast. Often but not always it’s when a project goes awry that the wider client relationship sours - but there can be other reasons too - and I’d be happy to introduce you to references for my work in this area.
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Do you have any examples of this work?
Examples of relationships that I’ve rescued include a financial services organisation unhappy to be facing an unannounced regulatory compliance risk, a central government agency realising poor service levels after losing a longstanding personal contact as service go-between and a distribution business that had been burnt by their previous supplier in terms of technical delivery and commercial relationship and was understandably very nervous about their next appointment.
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What is your approach to client relationships?
I always strive to get to know my clients at a personal level, but also to understand keenly their organisational domain and the related challenges they face. My approach is based upon building relationships with integrity and I want to see the world through their eyes, so I can better understand and help them.
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What if I’m having challenges with more than one client?
This is not uncommon and will likely point to a more systemic issue in your approach to clients and account management. No problem, I can help you, let’s talk.
Ready?
