10 tips on providing an excellent client service

The holy grail of professional services firms is ensuring we provide excellent client service. Provide excellent client service and, in all likelihood, our clients will keep coming back to us. Provide a rubbish client service, and there’s a very good chance you’ll never see that client again!

But providing excellent client service is often easier said than done! 

So, what do we need to be doing to ensure we provide great client service? What are some of the core deliverables your business needs to be providing to make sure you are front and centre in your client's mind?

Here are 10 tips to help you achieve this goal.

1. Understand

If you want your clients to have an amazing service experience, make sure you understand what is important to them - and not what you think is important. 

This isn’t the “What keeps you up at night?” question. It’s deeper than that. It goes to what their KPIs are. It goes to what constitutes “success” for them. In cold hard dollars, it’s what they need to be doing to get a bonus this year!

2. Care

Providing excellent client service starts with caring about the issues that are important to your client. 

Often, we call this “empathy”, and that’s as good a word as “caring”. Without some concern about the ultimate outcome for your client, you are just a service provider.

3. Listen 

Always take time to actively listen to what your clients are telling you. Never be afraid to ask questions if you need to clarify their requirements.

Crucially, don’t presume to think you know what your client is saying. Rather, listen to what they are actually saying.

4. Talk

Talk to your client! 

If you don’t have a client portal – and even if you do - always keep them up to date on the progress, timeliness, and any changes that may arise to their matter.

Communicating with your client should also be commercial. If you see something that might be of commercial benefit to your client, send them an email saying: “Saw this and thought of you”.

5. Be accessible

Promptly respond to any enquiries your client makes and be always accessible – either on the phone, email, Teams, WhatsApp or in-person.

6. Be an industry expert

To deliver excellent client service, you need to know your client’s industry. This goes beyond being a mere subject matter expert and into the realm of understanding on a day-to-day basis what is happening in their industry. 

Clients like to work with people they trust. And a quickfire way to getting your client’s trust is making sure you know – and understand - the challenges they are facing in their industry.

7. Be proactive

Off the back of understanding your client’s concerns and being an industry expert – go out and be proactive. Anticipate your client’s needs before they do and bring it to their attention. 

Demonstrating your commitment to their business goes a long way to ensuring that they receive excellent client service! 

8. Commit to the relationship

As soon as you sign that engagement letter, commit to your relationship with the client. 

• • Don’t undercut or undermine your client – especially on pricing with their competitors; 

  • Don’t agree to act against your clients;

  • Do agree to put your client’s interests above your own.

9. Don’t be afraid to seek feedback – good or bad

Always ask your client for feedback on your service. Then make sure you use this feedback to improve the service you are providing.

10. Go above and beyond…

Finally, go above and beyond with your client service! Exceed expectations with every interaction. Provide the unexpected and deliver exceptional results.

Following the above is no guarantee that you’ll get a Net Promote Score of 9 or above, but it should go a long way to ensuring you build a strong relationship with your client.