Navigating the Client Relationship
I don’t know about you all, but I am so happy to see more sunshine and daylight as we take two steps forward and one step back into spring and out of the longest winter ever.
Here at Missoula Bookkeeper we are making some changes and doing some “spring cleaning” that you will hear more about in the upcoming weeks. One change is an upgrade to some of our client facing systems and communication. When I was a business of one, with a fraction of the current clients, keeping things organized, communicating with clients and managing workflows was a much simpler process. Now with my amazing team and cadre of new clients there is more complexity and I haven’t done the best job of shifting our systems to keep up. Here are a few things that we will be up to in the next month:
Shifting to a new phone system to help keep track of communications and delegate follow up more easily
Continuing to maximize the features in our Keeper Client Portals to make sure you have access to your reports and any other information that you need
Launching a podcast to offer our tips and tricks for business owners so you can make 2023 the best financial year yet in your business
All of these new systems are created in the hopes that your experience as clients will be better. Client management is a tricky job for any business owner. You want to be helpful and accommodating, but not so much that you lose your work life balance or your sanity. You need clients to keep you in business, but you really need the right clients and not just any warm body. This month we are going to cover a range of topics around how we find and work with clients. Topics will include:
How to market to find the right clients for you
How to manage your client intake and on-boarding process and your customer journey, to convert prospects into long term clients
How to set boundaries around your time for client communication and accessibility
How to know when it's time to let a client go and how to make a clean break
How to manage off-boarding clients whether you are down sizing or they are headed somewhere else
How to get paid effectively and quickly
How to deal with problem clients
How to decide when you need help to manage your growing client base
It’s been such a blast helping and watching each of your businesses and organizations grow and shift over the past few years. I am excited to continue to grow with you. Happy Spring everyone!
“All of your customers are partners in your mission” —Shep Hyken
