Working With Clients Or, how to make someone happy NO MATTER WHAT they end up with ! This presentation describes:  what’s most important when you work with real clients  why setting expectations EARLY is VERY IMPORTANT  how to get input without pestering  how to UNDERSTAND a client to produce a useful report  how to contact a client for this project

what is MOST important ? You want the client to get the product they expect You want the product to be practically useful for the client You want the client TO BE HAPPY with the product THEREFORE:  ALWAYS describe the product to the client in a very clear way (make sure they know – or SHOULD know – what they’ll get)  ALWAYS work to see things from the client’s point of view (interview them to understand what is valuable in their world)  NEVER promise more than you can deliver (promise the MINIMUM that you are absolutely CERTAIN to deliver)

set expectations EARLY Client needs to know: what you will do for them  do not promise TO SOLVE their problems  do promise to give them “a possibly useful” report  make it CLEAR that you are not a volunteer for them how much time/effort this will cost them  make it CLEAR that they will need to spend some time on this  minimum ~3 hours total (initial meeting, some calls/ s throughout, review final report)  maximum ? (reviewing and offering input on outline, rough draft, attending final presentation, et cetera)  give CLEAR OPPORTUNITIES for them to provide input

setting expectations IS VITAL You DO NOT want the client unhappy with the product  if you were expecting a used Kia and you get a nearly new Civic, are you happy?  if you were expecting a new Lexus and you get a nearly new Civic, are you happy? You DO NOT want the client frustrated with the process  if you weren’t expecting any work at all but you get some calls and s with questions, drafts to review, etc, are you happy?  if you were expecting a good bit of work and you get some focused questions, helpful drafts to review, etc, are you happy?

how to get input WITHOUT pestering Set expectations  talk with client about the level of project input they will want to have  talk with client about what support they want to provide  emphasize how input and support can benefit THEM  agree on a specific level of input (time estimate, schedule if possible) Be clear  make certain every contact ( , call, meeting) has a specific goal  clearly describe this goal to the client at every contact  provide client with necessary info to accomplish these contact goals Be PROFESSIONAL  sloppy, confusing, disorganized contacts ( s, calls, meetings) will annoy clients and negatively affect how they see your final product

how to understand WHAT a client needs and can use Know their situation  what is the client’s relationship to the organization?  are there things the client can’t say directly? Know the organization  what does the organization value?  what are the organization constraints (money, time, etc)? Know the history  what has been done or studied in the past?  who else has faced these same issues or problems? Use trial and error  show them drafts and ask “is this useful for you?”

DO NOT refuse to see things from client’s point of view... propose “solutions” that client cannot act on... offer “help” that does not match client’s needs

The first steps... a possible client to give them some context  It’s a class report writing project  It’s a chance to get a free report that might be helpful  It would require ~3hrs total over four weeks from them Follow up the with a phonecall  Answer any questions they have  Make it CLEAR that this is a REPORT WRITING CLASS project  Define REALISTIC expectations for them (you’ll do some research to get them a “hopefully useful” written report)

IF your don’t want to work with a real client... You still brainstormed a real client idea for the “Recommendation Report Idea ”  Told me what you WOULD do if you were forced to work with someone real  Told me whether you actually want to do this You’ll probably end up in a group of other folks who don’t want to work with a real client  You’ll work for me pretending to be a “real” client  I will “be” Stephen Warren, the Director of Development for the Texas Boys Ranch the Texas Boys Ranch  Your group will do some prelim research and then or talk with “Stephen” to figure out what you’ll do for the project