Client Interactions
Quick Tip!
When conversing with clients, it’s important to listen and address their needs appropriately. Take cues from those around you.
Helpful Staff for this Topic
Working with Clients
At the Digital Corps, we work with clients every day. Client interaction is a vital part of project success, and it’s essential to understand how client communication works, and how to approach it. Some general rules when dealing with clients are as follows:
- Whether you’re on set or in the office, whenever you’re communicating with a client you’re representing the Digital Corps. It’s essential that your conduct remain professional at all times. Every action you make is a reflection of the Corps. Keep this in mind and conduct yourself as such!
- Our clients are anyone we work with outside the Corps. Whether that be a team at BSU PBS, or an undergraduate student that we’re interviewing for a video project, they’re clients. All clients should be given the same treatment: professionalism, formality, and respect.
- Some clients are more comfortable speaking to team members, while others would prefer instruction to come through staff members. If you’re not sure which course of action suits your project needs, talk to Brandon.
- Taking notes is a key part of client interactions. Concise notes ensure that important information is recorded and questions aren’t repeated.
- Professionalism is essential in any client interaction.
- When meeting with clients, default to the highest authority in the room. This is typically Brandon. Follow their lead and listen before you speak.
Client interactions come in more specific forms as well. For instance, client communication can come in the form of:
- Intake meetings
- Pitch meetings
- Email communication
- Communication through Brandon
- Other client meetings
Below, you will find a brief summary of these different types of interactions and how you should approach them.
Quick Tip!
For all client interactions: take good notes! Note-taking during meetings will ensure that interactions are productive. Questions won’t be asked twice, and important information will be recorded where the team can reference it later. Check out the Note Taking Best Practices article for more information!
Types of Client Communication
Intake Meetings
Intake meetings happen before project kickoff. These meetings are typically the first interaction the team has with the client; it’s a time to listen to the client describe their requirements for the project.
Intake meetings are normally led by Brandon. He drives the conversation and allows the client to define their problem in a way that the team can solve through further brainstorming.
Towards the end of the meeting, Brandon may open the floor to team questions. Now is the time to ask any lingering questions you might have. Wait until Brandon gives a cue to ask questions. Asking questions in the middle of intake meetings can break up the flow of the conversation.
Pitch Meetings
Pitch meetings are formal presentations where where the team proposes a solution to the client’s problems outlined in the intake meeting..
Like all client interactions, it’s important to follow the lead of staff members. Brandon will cue students on when to start and when the floor is open for client questions.
For more information on pitch meetings and the general pitching process, check out the Pitching Process Template.
Email Communication
For some projects, Brandon will introduce the PM/JPM to the client. In these cases, it is the PM/JPMs responsibility to facilitate client communication when necessary, but with staff approval. Here are some things to keep in mind when writing a client email:
- Double check spelling and grammar.
- Use professional language.
- Include a formal greeting.
- Be concise and clear; a wordy or confusing email won’t illicit the answers you need.
- CC necessary staff on all client emails.
- Run the email by Brandon before sending it!
Once you’ve sent the email, be patient. You can’t control when the client responds, and it’s unprofessional to spam them with additional emails. If a week goes by and they haven’t responded, ask Brandon if it’s appropriate to contact them again.
In addition, any responses by the clients should be properly communicated to the team. Save client emails in OneNote, then let team members know in the channel that new information has come through, and it’s recorded in the OneNote for their convenience. It’s important to ensure that everyone is on the same page with any new information coming in.
Client Communication through Brandon
Finally, other projects have client communication that goes directly through Brandon. You can do this by asking in the channel for any client updates and seeing if Brandon has heard anything that needs to be communicated to the team. You can also tag Brandon in the channel and post specific questions for him to pass along to the client. This method can take longer than others, so it’s important to ask any questions you have in one message. Make sure you cover all your bases and ask the right questions. Be concise and patient!
Other Client Meetings
Sometimes additional clarification is needed with clients, and it is necessary to set up additional client meetings. These will typically be planned by Brandon. They typically address questions from either the client or the team, and work to clarify the direction of the project moving forward. If you feel another client meeting is necessary, discuss it with the team, and get final approval.
As shown above, client communication comes in many forms and at many different times. If you keep these tips in mind while you’re practicing any part of client relationships, you should have more successful, productive interactions!
