10 Unbrekable rules of Good Client Service

1. Treat your clients with the utmost respect

Your clients whether they consciously do it or not, know the value of their money. And they always want to know that you are treating them with the dignity they deserve as a client. Some years ago I had this experience – I went into a shop where the sales lady yelled at me for looking at the items she sells for longer than she likes to. When I explained to her that I was considering buying multiple items she raised her voice even more convincing me that I will not buy anything from her. In the end even though I liked the things she sells very much her dramatizing and screaming pushed me away from her. So far away that I will never go back there.

2. Follow through on your commitments

If you say to a client that you will do something for them, I’d better do it because in your client’s ears everything you say is as good as a promise. And if you make a promise but do not deliver it, you client will quickly go to the next door business.

3. Communicate with your clients

If your business is doing good, great – get yourself a nice poster and tell your clients how well you are doing.

Ultimately, you want your clients to be interested in your business because you want them to come back to you. So, even if your business is in a crisis – communicate this with your clients. Of course in a very delicate way so that they know that you are a business owner with good intentions, high ethical standards and with your client’s well being I your mind. If you don’t and the bad news break out – as it usually happens with bad news, you may end up in the situation like WaMu – with lines of customers making sure they are not doing business with you.

4. Talk to your clients without interruption

Your client is always expecting to have your undivided attention. Most of all, if you deliver your attention and also on top of that show your client that you are attentively listening to what they are saying, you set yourself up for a repeated business and possibly referrals. When you listen carefully and have all your attention on your client, you absolutely flatter them. And as far as I know, all clients what to come back where they are feeling good being.

5. Answer the phone quickly and get back to your customer when you say you will

Clients value their time more than you can imagine. A good rule of thumb is to answer the phone by the 3^rd ring. Of course, if you incorporate this in your practice, make sure to follow it because your clients will be quick to pick up when you don’t. Keep you promises! And especially if you tell your clients what you will get back to them. If you don’t most likely they won’t too.

6. Offer options when there is a problem

Be prepared when you meet with those 20 % of your clients who will complain no matter what to offer them alternatives. Your clients don’t want to hear: “I can’t do anything about it”. They prefer: “OK”, meaning I will do whatever you ask for. But most of all they will stay loyal to you if you start your sentence with: “This is what I will do for you” even if you can’t fulfill their requests. Your clients wish to be taken care of and if you want clientele you wish to take care of them too.

7. Have the management be there for your clients

Your management should be there for your clients for 3 reasons:

– to watch over the team members

– to be there when there is a problem and the client demands to have a talk with the management

– management’s main role fort being close to the clients is to pamper the clients and spoil them as much as possible so that they are happy and come back

8. Clearly state what your clients should expect from you

The easiest way to disappoint your clients is to not be enough articulate in what exactly you offer. If your clients have the wrong perception of what you can and are offering them it might be a challenge to turn them into repetitive business. Of course not all of your clients will be interested to know more about how you do your business but this is on them. What depends on you is to have the information out there for them whenever they want to find it.

9. Know everything about your products and services

Be sure to know what you are doing and know what you are talking about. If you don’t your clients will be quick to sniff that and then you might find yourself in trouble.

10. Always take your client’s side

We have all been hearing that the client is always right but the truth of the matter is that even when the client is not right it’s bad for your business not to take their side. By a rule – a happy client will tell one or 2 other people, an unhappy client will tell 10 more and they will each tell 1 or 2 more. No matter what, is it really worth it not to take your client’s side?

10 Unbreakable Rules of Good Client Service © 2008 Tsvetanka Petrova. All rights reserved.

Tsvetanka Petrova – Sue, the Good Karma Coach, specializes in helping you to choose who you want to be and to be in alignment with this feeling and knowledge so that you can attract easily and effortlessly your desires along your path that correspond with who you are.

She has a first-hand experience with overcoming impossible obstacles, surviving through all storms and attaining unimaginable financial and personal success for her age as a result.

Tsvetanka’s web site: www.aheartsdesires.com and blog: www.tsvetankapetrova.wordpress.com are a valuable resource with lots of free articles and success tools.

Author’s note: Please feel free to use this article for your own web site or newsletter. However, the “About the Author“information and the copyright line need to be present in your reprint of this article. Also note, that this article is not to be altered or published incomplete and a copy of your reprint is sent to Sue@aheartsdesires.com

Code of Ethics

My pledge to you

As your Live and Money coach, I acknowledge and agree to honor my ethical obligations to my coaching clients and colleagues and to the public at large. I pledge to comply with the ICF Code of Ethics, to treat people with dignity as independent and equal human beings, and to model these standards with those whom I coach. If I breach this Pledge of Ethics or any part of the ICF Code of Ethics, I agree that the ICF in its sole discretion may hold me accountable for so doing. I further agree that my accountability to the ICF for any breach may include loss of my ICF membership and/or my ICF credentials.

As a coach:

1) I will conduct myself in a manner that reflects positively upon the coaching profession and I will refrain from engaging in conduct or making statements that may negatively impact the public’s understanding or acceptance of coaching as a profession.

2) I will not knowingly make any public statements that are untrue or misleading, or make false claims in any written documents relating to the coaching profession.

3) I will respect different approaches to coaching. I will honor the efforts and contributions of others and not misrepresent them as my own.

4) I will be aware of any issues that may potentially lead to the misuse of my influence by recognizing the nature of coaching and the way in which it may affect the lives of others.

5) I will at all times strive to recognize personal issues that may impair, conflict or interfere with my coaching performance or my professional relationships. Whenever the facts and circumstances necessitate, I will promptly seek professional assistance and determine the action to be taken, including whether it is appropriate to suspend or terminate my coaching relationship(s).

6) As a trainer or supervisor of current and potential coaches, I will conduct myself in accordance with the ICF Code of Ethics in all training and supervisory situations.

7) I will conduct and report research with competence, honesty and within recognized scientific standards. My research will be carried out with the necessary approval or consent from those involved, and with an approach that will reasonably protect participants from any potential harm. All research efforts will be performed in a manner that complies with the laws of the country in which the research is conducted.

8) I will accurately create, maintain, store and dispose of any records of work done in relation to the practice of coaching in a way that promotes confidentiality and complies with any applicable laws.

9) I will use ICF member contact information (email addresses, telephone numbers, etc.) only in the manner and to the extent authorized by the ICF.

Professional Conduct with Clients

10) I will be responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern any physical contact that I may have with my clients.

11) I will not become sexually involved with any of my clients.

12) I will construct clear agreements with my clients, and will honor all agreements made in the context of professional coaching relationships.

13) I will ensure that, prior to or at the initial session, my coaching client understands the nature of coaching, the bounds of confidentiality, financial arrangements and other terms of the coaching agreement.

14) I will accurately identify my qualifications, expertise and experience as a coach.

15) I will not intentionally mislead or make false claims about what my client will receive from the coaching process or from me as their coach.

16) I will not give my clients or prospective clients information or advice I know or believe to be misleading.

17) I will not knowingly exploit any aspect of the coach-client relationship for my personal, professional or monetary advantage or benefit.

18) I will respect the client’s right to terminate coaching at any point during the process. I will be alert to indications that the client is no longer benefiting from our coaching relationship.

19) If I believe the client would be better served by another coach, or by another resource, I will encourage the client to make a change.

20) I will suggest that my clients seek the services of other professionals when deemed appropriate or necessary.

21) I will take all reasonable steps to notify the appropriate authorities in the event a client discloses an intention to endanger self or others.

Confidentiality/Privacy

22) I will respect the confidentiality of my client’s information, except as otherwise authorized by my client, or as required by law.

23) I will obtain agreement from my clients before releasing their names as clients or references, or any other client identifying information.

24) I will obtain agreement from the person being coached before releasing information to another person compensating me.

Conflicts of Interest

25) I will seek to avoid conflicts between my interests and the interests of my clients.

26) Whenever any actual conflict of interest or the potential for a conflict of interest arises, I will openly disclose it and fully discuss with my client how to deal with it in whatever way best serves my client.

27) I will disclose to my client all anticipated compensation from third parties that I may receive for referrals of that client.

28) I will only barter for services, goods or other non-monetary remuneration when it will not impair the coaching relationship.