Client Relationship Building for Effective Delivery

Topic - Client Relationship Building for Effective Delivery

Audience - Anyone working for Delivery with Clients (PLs, PMs, Pgms)

Background- Few days back , got invited by Learning world of my organization to talk on Client Relationship Building for Effective Delivery. I just listed down some pointers for my talk and finally, trying to convert it to blog as session went very well. Thought of proliferating it further..

 

Anatomy of Client Relationship 

• Core is Client
• A two-way Connect 
• Relationship is between 2 individuals
• Focus should be on client as a person and not role in client's org
• 2 way interaction and communication
• Improves over time -
• Don't rush....
• Viewed holistically over time
• Mutually Beneficial - Win-Win

Why Client Relationship?

Need to bring below with Client ->

• Comfort ,
• Trust and Confidence and
• Reliability

Why?
Because Emotions are important as Client is 'HUMAN BEING'

How? - Client Relationship Building

•  Making Good First Impression
• Become Trusted Advisor
• Personal relationship
• Business Issues understanding

Life cycle-

 Key Elements 

• Reliability - POCs, commitment
• Credibility - Example/success stories with data, talk about issues/risks, Subject knowledge)
• Intimacy - Empathy, map your goals with client
• Self orientation - Listening skills. goals oriented and not deliverable oriented approach

Skills Required?

• Inter-personal skills required, 4 Cs:
• Client orientation
• Creativity
• Curiosity
• Collaboration
•  Commitment
• Empathy, think from customer shoes
• Articulation and Presentation
• Receptive to new ideas

Tips for Client Relationship - Specific to Delivery

• Project Initiation
• Stakeholder mapping and Objectives/Strategy
• Expectation Setting
• Client Relationship
• Clients personality  type - Introvert, Extrovert , Detailed oriented , thinking , judging 
• Need  - Achievement, power, friendly/affiliation
• Execution
• Mapping requirements/needs to design
• Listening/Understanding problem and Solution mapping
• Layout detailed plan and execute
• Tracking and Reporting
• Rhythm of Business /Communication management plan 

Word of caution..

• Dependency on single individual - The mitigation to  create backups
• Keep personal relations to the scope of Organization benefits
• Under promise and Over deliver - with a balance  

Ultimate Benefit

Business sustenance and growth happens automatically when you are TRUSTED ADVISORS!!!

Happy Reading and Writing!!