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.
Many of my larger projects are built into phases. This is done mainly for two reasons: it helps my client’s budgeting needs and it provides them with peace of mind, knowing that I am making constant progress on the video. If you are working on a project that is built into phases, it’s important to thoroughly describe each phase in the contract and when that phase will be completed. Be up front with your client in regards to payment. I usually request a deposit when the contract is signed and then partial payments upon delivery of each phase. Asking for progress payments will help your cash flow and will help defray production costs and the cost of your time.
When that first phase is delivered, however, it’s important that you and your client are both on the same page before the project moves forward. It would be disastrous to move toward completion of a project when your client hasn’t even approved phase one. That’s why, in addition to the original contract, I always provide my clients with written approval agreements that they must sign before I continue with the project. These don’t have to be complicated. All it needs to say is that the client acknowledges that phase one was delivered on schedule, that they have thoroughly examined all elements, and that those elements meet with their approval. This will give you the green light to continue your work, knowing with certainty that the client is completely satisfied with the project thus far.
Remember, never assume. Even if you talk with the client over the phone and they say, “Hey, this looks great! You’re on the right track. Keep going,” you need to get their approval in writing. I have learned this the hard way, dealing with clients who give verbal approval, only to recant it later. That resulted in more work for me, for less pay (because I still had to stay within the specified budget). Maintaining good client relations is all about giving due diligence to proper communications.
