The Art of Client Service

Chapter 40Take on the Coloration of Your Clients; Do Not Compromise Your Character

Some of my clients seem to live for golf. They don't just play it, they breathe it. I don't play golf, but I can talk it. I make a point to read the sports reporting on major golf tournaments. That way, if my clients want to talk about how Jordan Spieth or Rory McIlroy took the golfing world by storm, I'll be ready.

I'm also ready to talk about the latest movie, the hottest Broadway show, or some new restaurant everyone is raving about. From bowling to Beethoven, it doesn't matter. If you're going to be good at account work, you need to be interested in whatever your client is interested in. That means being a voracious consumer of popular culture, and at least on passing terms with higher-brow pursuits.

You also need to be wise enough to sidestep discussions of politics, religion, or controversial subjects best avoided. No matter how friendly you become, remember that clients are still clients, not friends, and edit yourself accordingly.

Client service requires you to be flexible, open-minded, and able to handle the unexpected with grace. It also requires you to never compromise your integrity, honesty, or sense of fairness.

Be a good listener. Take a sincere interest in your clients' lives—professionally and personally—while remaining respectful of their privacy. Don't force the relationship. Take the time needed to build a personal connection.

I worked with two clients for more than a year ...