During my high school acting days I remember one rehearsal in particular when my director was giving me specific notes about my performance. I felt that her criticism wasn’t justified and I tried to defend myself. She gave me some advice that day that I always apply to my business. She told me simply to listen to direction and not to make excuses.
In your career as a business owner or freelancer, you will have clients who aren’t entirely satisfied with the work. That can be a harsh fact, because of the pride people take in their work. However, when a client has concerns, it’s important to remember that the client doesn’t want to hear excuses - even when the problem is not your fault. Here are some things to remember:
RESPOND PROMPTLY - Avoiding a discussion with your client won’t make the problem go away. Acknowledge their concerns by returning their call and/or email quickly.
LISTEN ATTENTIVELY - You might not consider the client’s concerns to be very serious, but they do. Listen to what they have to say and don’t dismiss them. Ask questions. Make notes. Show them that you are eager and willing to correct the problem.
OFFER SOLUTIONS - Give your client options as to how the problem can be rectified and assure your client that you will take the steps necessary to ensure satisfactory results.
It can be very difficult to accept criticism, but running a successful business depends on your ability to meet those challenges and satisfy your clients.
[...] the situation. They aren’t interested in excuses. They’re interested in solutions. In a previous post I gave out some advice on how to respond to a client’s concerns. Number one on that list was [...]