Marketing by its nature demands freshness and originality which means looking for new ideas and putting your own stamp on tried and tested techniques.  However providing a service that your existing clients perceive as superior is the most cost- effective way of marketing a practice and the only way to retain client loyalty.
 
An important feature of satisfactory client service is realising that although you must have a set of service standards not all clients will be dealt with in the same way.  Minding and retaining business from your key clients depends on their value to the practice. The focus of your client service will primarily be on the clients you like working with, want to mind and retain. It will be less on those who complain a lot and are slow to settle their bills.
 
Building new business with your existing clients means anticipating their needs and demonstrating that they are valued clients to allow you to get the results you want. No firm can rely on blind loyalty anymore. We all have to earn our business relationships. As with many relationships, it’s very easy for a client to feel taken for granted.  Minding client business is not a matter of superficial attention.

Think about your own experience when doing business with someone else and ask yourself the following questions:

·        What are you like to work with?
·        Can clients get in touch quickly with the person they deal with?
·        Do you outline your charges clearly at the outset?
·        Does the client understand what’s involved in the transaction?
·        Do you take the time to get to know your clients?
·        Do you proactively contact them or are they contacting you more?
·        Who else does a client deal with when you are not there?
·        Do you know if clients are impressed with the quality of service they receive?
·        Do you stay in contact period with them after the work is done?
 
As with many relationships it is very easy for a client to feel taken for granted after a relatively short period.  When you are talking to your clients, try and establish their needs and encourage them to give you feedback by asking them open questions.  Don’t be afraid to ask clients if they are happy with your service and where you might make improvements. A lot of practitioners consider this a taboo subject but the reality is that clients want the opportunity to speak. Clients may not always know the extent of your service offering and may have more business to give you.  They are also curious and willing to give you open and honest feedback which increases your chances of keeping your clients business. 
 
As it costs between five and ten times more to win new business from new clients as it does to win new business from existing clients, effective client relationship management as well as excellent service delivery will be an integral part of your business development strategy.
 
 
Adrienne Regan
Regan Lowey
27 Lower Baggot St
Dublin 2
01 676 1174
Email: adrienne@reganlowey.com
Web: www.reganlowey.com