Communicating well within a relationship can be a very tricky business. Even in the days when the only methods available were face-to-face or via a telephone conversation, care was required to ensure important messages were exchanged accurately. These days the potential minefield has become a lot larger thanks to the whole plethora of social media avenues at our disposal.
So, it is also for businesses as we seek to communicate effectively – how can we ensure a clear understanding of requirements from clients?
Some potential pitfalls are obvious. The mistaken assumption that all is well at the outset (I recall an instance where it took six months for a client to admit not understanding what a relationship manager was saying on account of a strong accent). A strongly positive customer relationship is undermined by a poorly managed handover following the departure of a key advocate at the client organisation or when the lead relationship
manager moves on at the supplier end.
In addition, we often forget that in our business relationships we as individuals are not the only ones communicating with customers. The organisations that we represent continually send out messages, often deliberately with the intention of helping clients better appreciate the corporate vision and philosophy. But oftentimes businesses communicate unintentional messages to clients or perhaps more accurately customers
interpret a signal sent by an organisation in an unexpected way. I’m sure we can all recall examples of advertising campaigns that have been pulled soon after launch?
As if all that isn’t enough, we must contend with potentially the most difficult relationship undermining factor of all – time. In reality client requirements, or at least the intensity with which they are held, changes – take for example the historical tolerance of a typical European pension fund towards risk. Often such changes are incremental, almost imperceptible but can lead to previously clear mutual understandings moving out of
sync.
Of course, if we regularly check with our clients we can minimise the risk of things going wrong in our relationships. In our view, this needs to be done from first principles, by assuming nothing and going right back to check on the solidity of the relationship foundations. To do that effectively its important that the appropriate questions are being asked and that the right person to ask them may not be you, Mr or Mrs Relationship Manager. It may need to be someone else from either within or outside of your
organisation. For it is the clear understanding of client requirements that matters.
Never be afraid to learn that your understanding of the health of a relationship is wrong. Much better than to assume incorrectly that you are right, especially if that leads you to misunderstand a key client requirement.
