Effective Communication and Client Maintenance By Sherran S. Spurlock December 20, 2005

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Communicate to Measure Client Expectations ASK them about goals and expectations Learn of silent dissatisfactions and negatives before the “grapevine” Improve MBP effectiveness for a competitive advantage Learn industry trends and future needs

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Why Clients Leave Bad experience No longer has a need Lack of communication Feels consultant no longer cares Believes that inertia has taken place and wants fresh ideas Believes that another better understands their needs

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Types of Communication On the job-continuous Anonymous surveys MailInternetElectronicTelephoneFace-to-Face Choice depends on desired results

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Communication as Knowledge Sharing Directly with the Client On the project Establishes trust Internally Capture information for future use

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Communication Skills for Resolving Conflict Echo back what he says Ask for clarity Validate his feelings Reflect his feeling and body language Summarize Take Notes Discuss actions you will take

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Communication Builds Relationships Client loyalty and trust 80% of time spent on top 20% of clients Begin as early as possible Must be personal Different clients want different types of relationships Requires frequent contact

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Conduct Client Reviews Valuable part of QA/QC process Creates Client Confidence Client feels a part of the process Opens the door to discuss future work Understand client’s precise requirements Obtain actionable items that drive continuous improvement process for MBP Annually with existing clients A reason to contact previous clients

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Value to Client Receives a sense of appreciation, partnership, value and importance Tells us how we can improve and better meet expectations Helps us understand client’s priorities Shows our focus on THEIR success

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Client Review is Different from Satisfaction Survey Employees, not third party conduct research and gather client information One-on-One encourages relationship- building Immediate response to actionable items Review process demonstrates a level of commitment to clients Focused on creating client commitment – less on measuring client satisfaction for a specific project

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Why in person? Information flow between client and those who need the information Ability to read body language and facial expressions Action can be taken without time lag Client appreciates the personal connection – our focus on their personal success

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Scheduling Client Review Make an appointment Explain the purpose and - a renewed commitment by MBP for continuous improvement- Would like for him to be a part of that process Try to meet away from distractions No preparation is necessary on his part Purpose is not to talk about individuals

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Before the interview Complete as much information as possible –Names –Length of relationship –Projects completed Revenue Bid and contract type –Any known issues –Any known future project information

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Client Review Process Effective questioning and active listening Begin light Take someone with you listen and take notes Remain neutral Be a sponge - do not problem solve Let him know that you will get back with results/changes resulting from the review

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Opening the Client Review Interview Thank the client for his time Review why you are here Tell him how long this will take Explain how the information will be used Assure the confidentiality of the information Explain that you will personally manage issues that affect him Long-term benefits to him and for MBP will result from the information gathered Relax and be comfortable, informal and conversational Tell him what you would like to discuss Let him decide which question to start with If he wonders into another area - listen for significance

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Effective Questioning Put client and yourself at ease Follow a format – shows credibility Give non verbal feedback Act like the authoritative professional that you are Ask open-ended questions Avoid making client feel interrogated Keep client focused on themselves –Keeps the energy high –Best use of time Listen more than talk –He should be talking at least 75% of the time –Ask the questions that guide the conversation and then listen.

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock The questions How did we do on your project … what could we have done better? Did we respond to you in a timely manner? Did we provide effective innovations and solutions?

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock More Questions Did we deliver in a time frame that you required? Did we complete tasks within budget while effectively managing the scope of work? Did we understand your requirements on your last project? Do our deliverables consistently meet your requirements?

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Question (cont.) Do we provide the personnel who have the skills necessary to do the job? Do our contracting practices make it easy to do business with us? Do we provide value for the price paid?

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Questions That Tell Us Where We Rank Questions That Tell Us Where We Rank What differentiates us from our competitors? How do you compare MBP against our competitors….who does it better? What well known company (outside of construction: ie: UPS, McDonalds, US Postal) would you use to compare our service quality to?

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock What’s in it For Me? What changes or improvements on our part would make YOUR job easier? What can we do to help your organization attain a competitive advantage? What trends do you see in your industry that may affect the services that you will need in the future? What challenges will you face in the next 12 months?

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Closing questions Do you have any other suggestions or concerns? What else can we do to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to continuous performance improvement? How often should I follow up with you? Let him TELL you how often to call Tells you how much attention he requires

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Clarify, Summarize and Verify What are we listening for? VisionInnovation Low cost Experience What’s behind the words? Listen for key words and probe farther Review Action Items

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Ways to Probe and Clarify Please tell me more about that…… What do you mean by…………….. In what way………………………… How else…………………………… Help me understand……………… What specifically …………………. How would you like ……………….

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Listening Spend 75% of the time LISTENING Can be both Active and Passive An emotional connection Show sincere interest What and How? MBP as a trusted advisor

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Ask for testimonial letter You write it He can edit He can change or add own wording Print out on his letterhead and sign it.

12/20/2005 Sherran S. Spurlock Communication Must Continue It is incredibly important to continue to communicate and stay visible to the client. It's like a marriage- you have to keep working on it every day….the client does not want to be taken for granted