4 strategies to ensure your clients trust your team

People who get along just work together more efficiently.

You have to be proactive to develop a strong company culture that fosters
collaboration, trust and productivity. The same goes for a solid
agency-client relationship.

A strained relationship within your team—or with a client—will inevitably
lead to frustration, or worse, a lost customer. If they don’t trust that
you can’t accomplish what you promised, they may not even give you the space
you need to work.

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What are some of the indicators of a client-agency relationship gone sour?

• Constant check-ins or hovering to monitor progress
• Missed deadlines
• Passive-aggressive emails, or lack of response to emails
• Client blames team or team blames the client

If you see any of these symptoms, there may be a lack of trust between your
team and your client.

Here is how to ensure that all your clients trust your agency, right from
the start:

1. Offer testimonials from previous clients.

No one can speak more truthfully about your service than one of your
previous customers.

Get in the habit of asking previous clients for testimonials once you have
completed a project to their satisfaction. You can post these on your
website or share them with new customers as you onboard them to build trust
from the start.

2. Provide transparency in your work from day one.

Every client is different. Some may want to be hands-off after the first
meeting. Some may never get off your back. No matter what, you need to
establish a clear line of communication between the client and your team
from the first day.

If possible, organize a meeting between your client and the whole team that
will be working with them. You may not always be available to mediate the
conversation, so your client should know who to communicate with if needed.
Provide your client with an overview of your organizational structure and
introduce them to all team members individually.

Having a personal relationship with all clients will immediately strengthen
their trust in you, as you are no longer a faceless entity, but a team of
motivated individuals.

3. Create a culture of asking questions.

Everyone needs to feel as if they can contribute their ideas and insights
to the discussion. As the manager, get in the habit of organizing
one-on-one meetings with team members to learn about the challenges they
are facing. This practice will in turn encourage teams to listen more
attentively to clients.

Your clients are people too, so establish a personal relationship with them
that goes beyond work. Don’t be afraid to ask about their hobbies, families
or interests. If your client sees you as a person who wants to help them,
rather than a company going after their money, they will be more inclined
to trust you.

4. Meet your deadlines.

Nothing will ruin a client-agency relationship faster than a missed
deadline, especially if you do not send along an explanation. Communicate
early and frequently with your clients if you will not be able to achieve
the tasks they asked of you. They need to be able to plan and they rely on
you to provide services on time to keep their business running smoothly.

If you must miss a deadline, consider throwing in a small extra service for
free. Going the extra mile on a project can often generate client loyalty
and prove your dedication to serving them.

Clients also have an equal responsibility to meet deadlines they set with
you. When a client misses a deadline, your team must rush to finish a
project at the last minute, which can lead to tension between the two
parties.

Work with your client from the beginning to create a culture of respect and
mutual recognition of the importance of deadlines. Neither team can work
efficiently if the other party is not holding up their half of the bargain.

A healthy relationship with clients starts with your organization.
Establish a healthy and collaborative company culture that encourages
employees to go above and beyond to serve your clients. Happy teams make
happy customers.

Albizu
Garcia is the Co-Founder and CEO of
GAIN, a tool that automates the social publishing workflow for agencies and
anyone working in teams. Follow him

@albizu

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