Ways to improve client communication
- Anne Brack
- Nov 13, 2019
- 2 min read
Recently, I was in a Train the Trainer class for PMI and we used Communication as the topic to present against. One of the facilitators said that Communication is the easiest area to master because it is common sense, and this idea just hasn't been sitting well with me. I've been on too many projects that slow down because of poor communication - too much or too little. Here are some tips I've picked up to help your client communications go smoothly.
Before you speak or hit send, answer these questions:
What do you hope will happen after this conversation?
Are you sharing information, selling, building a reciprocal relationship, proving your expertise?
Explore how your message changes with your intent before you start your conversation.
Where is your power in this situation?
Are you peers, subordinate, dominant?
What do you have that your client needs? What does your client have that you need?
What can you do to create some balance in the situation? If balance is impossible, what are your boundaries so your client doesn't take advantage of you?
Can your client hear you? Can you hear your client? Do you understand each other?
Be aware of your own implicit bias as well as your client's.
If you are not the best person for client communications, then find someone who is and work with them instead.
What communication methods does your client prefer? How do they respond fastest to you?
Use that venue, plus a back up. For instance, I worked with a man who hated to check his email and voice mail, but I had compliance documents to review with him. I would email them, then send an instant message with the summary of actions for him.
Maintain your hope and optimism and document everything, so people want to hear you and you don't have to recreate anything you've already done.
Let me know what works for you.
