Ingenuity Magazine Spring 2019

Pond Ingenuity Spring 2019 15 Becoming a client’s first choice starts from within. A firm needs to believe in and embrace a client’s mission in order to be considered a first choice. Ensure your company goals reflect the needs of your clients, or directly align with their overall mission. Motivate your internal teams to learn and embrace the goals of their clients. Proper motivation will inspire clear direction, progress, and growth. Repeat business calls happen when clients feel the consultant team is sincerely invested in the success of the project. “Zipper up” for success. Strengthen business relationships by “zippering up” to client organizations by creating relationships up and down their organization. When a consultant is zippered with a client, they can develop better solutions by asking appropriate questions on different levels throughout the organization. A well-zippered relationship is strong and can be helpful in weathering rough times during projects. Always move forward – never grow complacent. As service providers, we should never become complacent with the quality or level of service being provided. Provide your clients with opportunities to rate the team’s performance, possibly through a third-party independent review. An unbiased review provides clients an open forum to speak candidly about what makes your company, service, or product successful, or most importantly, what requires immediate attention. B ecoming the trusted advisor that a client will call upon again and again can take years to achieve. I’m fortunate enough to work for a company that has built a business environment where becoming a customer’s first choice is woven into every vision and strategic plan developed. Also, with 30+ years of experience in the A/E/C industry, I have learned a few lessons I’d like to share. As consultants, we are problem solvers first and foremost. The value a consultant brings to the table is the experience to identify the needs or hindrances that stand in the way of a client’s goal, then apply the expertise to efficiently solve the issues. Knowing how to make clients consistently successful at their mission is a critical core competency for all consultants. Be an innovator. Touting the ability to produce “on time and on budget” results is commonplace in the industry. However, not all deliver on the promise, leaving clients skeptical of these generalist claims. Instead, differentiate your company and services from the pack. Stop and listen. A great barometer to measure service quality is visiting with clients to discuss products or services provided by your company. Take time to listen and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the services provided, then share the insight with your team. This also shows clients the level of commitment and care about their business and the solutions provided. The road to becoming a trusted advisor is not just celebrating the good – it’s addressing the bad and the ugly as well. We have found that our clients are not looking for off-the-shelf or prototypical solutions from a consultant. Instead, they seek a vested partner for the journey – a partner that will keep their projects on the right path and moving forward to a successful conclusion. This mindset must be at the core of your firm’s values, and the buy-in must come from every employee. Investing time and effort into a relationship to truly know the client and embrace its mission is what will set your firm apart from the competition – it’s what will empower you to become your customers’ “first choice.”  Erik Grandowski, CPSM Vice President This article first appeared in the SMPS Marketer Journal Magazine