How to better manage your clients’ expectations

So, you’ve put in the time and work to win some new business … now it’s time to get everyone on the same page before the project starts! The same amount of energy that you put into winning the business of this new client needs to go into managing the client’s expectations from here on out. Why? Because managing expectations is a crucial step in maintaining a great relationship with clients, which in turn could lead to future business or some referrals! Here are some necessary steps to take throughout a project to manage your client’s expectations and make the most out of your project:

Build strong relationships.
Developing a personal relationship with clients goes a really long way, whether we realize it right away or not. Not only does it help to build a stronger business relationship, but it just builds a relationship that will last. Whether that translates to more business in the future, brings referrals or anything of the sort, it will pay off!

Agree on goals and timelines for the project.
Before the project even starts, it’s important to lay out all goals and timelines for the project so everyone is on the same page. Who wants to run the risk of having their client not understand how to measure the success of the project? By establishing all of this early on, (hopefully) you can alleviate any future confusion over the expectations and goals of the project, and save yourself from having those not so fun conversations.

Listen.
In a situation with the client, you are the expert when it comes to the construction project, but it’s important to make sure that you fully understand what your client wants out of this project before you insert your own opinions. Of course, your guidance will be helpful but before you get to that, listen to your clients’ likes, dislikes, expectations, etc., as those are the types of things that will impact your project and the way the client feels about everything when it’s complete.

Communicate regularly, and be honest.
Nothing is going to lead to problems quicker than a lack of communication! If you are staying in contact (which is a breeze when you use software like ours, just sayin’) throughout the project, your client will feel great about everything that’s going on. Even when there are hiccups during a project, your client won’t feel concerned that you aren’t going to take care of it because you’ve been so open about everything.

Don’t be afraid to talk about the budget.
You don’t want budget to be the reason that problems arise during a project. It might be one of those things that seems scary (or just not fun) to talk about but it’s necessary if you want the project, and your relationship with the client, to stay on track.

Hopefully, by following these steps, you’ll be on track to better manage your clients’ expectations, form better relationships with each of them and gain more work from them in the future!

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Buildertrend Staff