Good client-facing skills are essential on web development projects.
On any project, good client-facing skills are essential. Here are the Code Word Digital top 10 tips for handling our clients. Based upon hard-won experience, they have helped successfully deliver complex digital solutions, such as web sites, touch-screen kiosks and software. We consider them crucial to project success…
Enjoy, and feel free to comment!
1. Listen
It’s a bit of a cliché, I know, but listening is for me the most important part of client-facing. It is so easy, especially during the early phases of a project, to go into meetings, write emails or talk over the phone when you are pre-occupied with your own agenda and unable to fully listen.
For example, if you are in the process of capturing a client brief, you may be concerned about technical issues, production capacity, budgeting, time-frames – any of these issues can impair your ability to simply listen to what your client has to say.
Whatever your concerns, try to put these to the back of your mind. Some of them may be perfectly valid, but buy yourself some time, consider everything carefully after the meeting or call, once you have heard everything your client has to say.
2. Don’t just listen: understand – and ask questions if you don’t
It’s crucial to understand what your client is asking for. Sometimes, your client may not know, and may be looking for your input. Alternatively, the client may not be able speak the language of digital or the web, yet has a clear understanding at least of their own business and what they want to achieve. And in some cases, the client may simply not be very clear about either their business need or what you need to be doing for them.
But its your job to help them out in all cases – so when in doubt always ask questions. And ask more questions. And more questions. Because this way, you help the client clarify in their own mind what it is they want, and at the very least you establish for yourself a much clearer understanding of what they want (and what they need – not always the same thing!)
3. Know your bottom line
When negotiating with your client at any stage of your project, (most commonly and sensibly at the beginning!), be clear in your own mind as to what your bottom line is. It can be fatal to go into a negotiation without knowing this as you might end up agreeing to something that simply is not in your best interests.
For example, a client may be very keen to secure a very low price for your services, or alternatively to cram the specification full of additional features. It is understandable that your client may wish to extract what is, in their own mind, the best value for money. However it can be in no-one’s interest to allow yourself to be beaten down so far that you don’t make a profit or have to break your back to finish the job. The chances are quality/deadlines/morale will suffer – this does not benefit the client nor does it benefit you.
So be very clear about what is your bottom line. Just make sure you are offering good value or good solutions, and in the end the client will respect you for this.
4. Sing from the same hymn sheet
Having got to the stage where you think you have a clear understanding on both sides, it is vital to make sure everyone really is singing from the same hymn sheet. Don’t simply assume that your client is thinking the same things you are after a meeting – write up a brief memorandum of understanding of the key points (e.g. an email) and send this to the client for confirmation.
If you are at the start of a project, this confirmation of mutual understanding may also be the time to come back with key recommendations – at least in summary form – in order to gain a heads-up agreement prior to writing a full spec.
Once everything has been discussed, formalise this into a written agreement or contract. Everyone from this point onwards should now be focussed on the same goal and singing from the same hymn sheet. Hallelujah!
5. Highlight issues early
I advocate highlighting issues very early on in any project, ideally before it has begun where applicable. If you are midway through a project and something comes up that you know will upset the client, for example a potential delay, an unexpected technical issue, or even a problem you can foresee but has not yet occurred, it is as a rule better to flag these up at the earliest opportunity.
This gives everyone implicated an opportunity to contribute positively to a solution, and in some cases it is your client that may even hold the answer. Even if they don’t, they will normally appreciate your telling them sooner rather than later, because it gives them the chance to manage this issue from their side.
However, don’t just flag up every little detail – this can be irritating for the client, and even undermine their confidence in you. Make a judgement about what they need to know, based on the significance of the problem, and also how much the client can contribute towards a solution.
6. Know when to say “NO”
Some clients WILL push you to the limit, so the sooner you learn where to draw a reasonable and fair line the better things will be and your client will be less likely to be unreasonable in future.
There are times when you just have to say no to your client. Very often it is in their best interests as well as your own. So when your client is asking for the unreasonable, and you cannot feasibly accommodate it, be assertive. Even with big clients, at times it’s better to just say “No”.
However, do try to be reasonable yourself in giving a solid rationale as to why you are saying no, and it is always best to be logical rather than emotional about the position you are taking.
7. Know when to say “Yes”
Sometimes you also need to make a judgement as to when you might want to go the extra mile for your client, even if there is not contractual or other immediate incentive to do so.
It’s a fine balance, but you should aim to give your client the feeling they are getting good value without compromising your own profitability. Sometimes there are good reasons for agreeing to additional, un-costed requests, since there may be benefits outside the scope and budget for your project.
Consider carefully, but sometimes saying YES is the right way to go.
Regardless of which way you go, don’t have a blanket YES or NO policy – neither pays dividends in the long run.
8. Always look for a win-win
This is perhaps obvious, but in the heat of a project and especially during the most uncertain phases, it is all too easy to get into a “them and us” scenario with your client.
Hopefully you will have minimised this scope for conflict with your prudent client handling (based on my tips!) from the outset, but it is worth noting that the most difficult phase of any new delivery is usually when there is most uncertainty, roughly about in the middle of a project.
Looking for a win-win is vital at this stage, because once there is an element of doubt, it is all too easy for the client to start worrying, thinking negative thoughts and starting to lay blame even before the project is complete.
This is when it is crucial to effectively manage the project and by implication the expectations of a potentially frustrated, fearful or even angry client.
So a confident, positive stance, with a win-win mindset is absolutely vital on your part to push things through and onto successful completion.
9. Manage your emotions
It is so easy to become stressed during projects and for tempers to become frayed. Creative projects do have a habit of sometimes bringing out the worst in otherwise perfectly amiable, balanced individuals.
Of course it could be you whose nerves are frayed and who is experiencing sleepless nights worrying about this or that. Lack of sleep is notorious for making you short-tempered.
So try to take time out every day to be calm and even consider meditation or some other form of relaxation, such as sport, comedy or any form of recreation that helps you unwind.
Here’s a tip: if you do find yourself lying awake at night worrying about all those outstanding issues, write down an action point for each thing that comes into your head.
This way, you have a better chance of getting a good night’s kip, and in turn you will be less likely to lose your temper with the client (which can be fatal, by the way).
In other words, stay cool!
10. Keep communicating
Actually, according to specialists, it’s impossible to NOT communicate, even if you don’t phone, text, tweet, email or talk to your client face-to-face, your lack of communication is still some sort of message.
Since you are still saying something (positive or negative: e.g. “no news is good news“, or “I don’t want to talk with you because there is a problem” or “you are not important enough for me right now“), saying nothing can have a huge effect. 
The crucial point is that you leave your message open to interpretation by being passive in your communications – and that’s pretty risky.
So it is important always to consider exactly what it is you are communicating to your client. Saying nothing is not always a bad thing, but you do need to be aware of how your client is going to interpret radio silence.
Don’t be afraid to communicate when there is “bad news”. Generally speaking it is better to be up-front as early as possible about issues that the client needs to be informed about. Not all bad news needs to be passed on, especially if you have internally managed within your team or with your supplier the impact of the causal issue.
In summary, communicating the right amount of information at the right time is my rule for effective and successful client-facing.
Find out more about working with us on your next WordPress project