What Are The Early Signs Of A Strained Client Relationship?

Patrick Woods, Dec 5, 2019 10:30:00 AM

Almost thirty years on I remember like it was yesterday the moment I secured my first fee paying customer. It felt almost like a vindication of me personally, never mind being a vote of confidence in the organisation I represented. And of course, my recollection is that I never doubted during the process there would be this positive outcome.

I recall even more clearly, the pain associated with my first ever client loss. That awful feeling of rejection. Looking back on it, I cannot recall any sense of impending doom. Did I really not detect any signs of a client relationship under strain?

It would likely have started with the client, however politely, voicing concerns during meetings and on calls. I suspect there were increasingly fewer phone calls, more of mine would not have been returned and at least some of my requests for meetings would have been declined. In addition, there would likely have been contact between the client and colleagues in my organisation. Between us internally we would have mis-read the mood. There were certainly no replies to my emails, given that this overrated method of client communication didn’t exist back then!

So, in light of all of those signals, why did I not see the bad news coming? A number of factors were most likely at play. By my nature, I like to focus on the part of the glass that isn’t empty, so that didn’t help. Because I was in empire building mode my primary focus was looking forward towards the next opportunity rather than in the rear-view mirror where problems can often build up. In addition, because I was operating in a large organisation there were many voices to be listened to. The reality is that client concerns can sometimes get diluted when heard through the filter of large organisations where the focus tends to be on communicating positive messages both internally and with the outside world.

Three decades on, I am grateful for every client that chose me – ok, the organisation that I represented – to work with. I am equally disappointed for every customer who may have at one stage gone in the opposite direction. But most of all I appreciate the insights, what there is to be learned - the lessons that are not unique to our industry.

Sometimes things go wrong in relationships so its always good to have a fully functioning rear-mirror that should be monitored at all times. However, if this mirror is fogged-up or more problematic still rose-tinted it may be difficult to truly recognise that a problem is building up before it becomes a disaster. Organisations often recoil at the very notion that the relationship with a key client might be strained in any way. They can be even more reluctant to ask customers to comment on the health of the relationship between them, especially if such an exercise is to be carried out by somebody independent of the organisation.

Had I the benefit of this knowledge many years back, I may have had the opportunity to enjoy more frequently the elation that also follows the successful retention of an important client.

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