Page 62 - AVN July 2013

| By Andrew Sobel
Vital Signs T Te en n q qu ue es st ti io on ns s t to o a as sk k w wh he en n c ch he ec ck ki in ng g t th he e h he ea al lt th h o of f y yo ou ur r c cl li ie en nt t r re el la at ti io on ns sh hi ip ps s
M M
ost doctors firmly believe that
certain types of regular screening
tests and checkups are essential
and help save lives. And most of
us, no matter how much we
despise devoting an hour or
more to getting poked and prodded, dutifully
go for an annual checkup each year. After all,
our health is vital to our overall well-being
and happiness. Annual checkups can play a
vital role in your professional health as well—
especially with regard to client and customer
relationships, which are the lifeblood of
every business.
In fact, you should absolutely review the “health” of your client rela-
tionships on a regular basis. Here’s why: Most clients vote with their
feet. They don’t tell you they are unhappy—they simply start to give
their business to your competitors. Client relationship checkups can
help you gauge the health of these relationships, prescribe changes
when necessary, and identify ways to further grow them.
All business interactions are human interactions. And part of being
human is acknowledging that you don’t know everything about every-
thing—and that you certainly don’t know everything about the other
person’s needs. Questions help you understand these things more
deeply, and they’re an essential tool when assessing the health of client
relationships. When client relationship checkups aren’t performed regu-
larly, the relationships can take unexpected turns.
I recommend infusing your client health checkups with Power
Questions. In my book I explore dozens of questions that light fires
When trust is present, you don’t need to constantly check up on the other person. You don’t need to
es
FEATURE
under people, challenge their assumptions, help them see problems in
productive new ways, and inspire them to bare their souls (which, of
course, strengthens the bonds in the relationship).
1. Do you have access?
If there were such a figure as a “client relationship doctor,” Lloyds
Banking Group Chairman Sir Winfried Bischoff would be the arche-
type. The former Schroders CEO and Citigroup chairman is a trusted
advisor who has guided hundreds of CEOs through bet-the-company
transactions and deals. Last year I asked Sir Win, “How do you know
when a relationship is not going well?” His first response was, “If it’s
taking a very long time to set up a meeting, that’s usually a bad sign!”
Can you actually get in to see important executives in your client’s
organization? Some leaders are notoriously busy, and it does take time
to get on their schedule. But if you don’t have access, you may not be
considered relevant! PS: If you think you have a good relationship, but
the client says, “There’s nothing going on. It doesn’t make sense to
meet,” that’s still a bad sign. It means they don’t really value your
ongoing insight and perspective.
2. Do you and your client trust each other to do things without
extensive documentation, checks and controls?
Trust is the essential foundation of every long-term relationship. It’s
the feeling that the other person will come through for you. It’s the
belief that they will meet your expectations. It’s the confidence that
they will demonstrate integrity, deliver competently, and focus on your
agenda, not theirs.
put in place endless controls and systems to monitor results. If your client is constantly micromanaging
you, then they may not trust you, and you need to find out why.
3. Does your client openly share information with you?
In a healthy, trusting relationship, there is transparency. Does your client give you access to their plans
and proposals? Do they freely share information with you, within the constraints of confidentiality?
When you’re a vendor, you get very limited access to information—it’s on a “need to know,” restricted
basis. When you’re a trusted advisor, your client treats you as part of the inner circle.
4. Does your client confide in you and bounce ideas and decisions off you?
Does your client ever call you up to run a new idea or potential proposal by you and get your opinion?
Or do they make important decisions and then call you afterwards? It’s not reasonable to expect them to
discuss everything with you. However, if they have an issue in your domain, and the relationship is a
strong one, they will most likely draw you in before reaching their final conclusions.
5. Are you the first person the client calls when they need something in your area of expert-
ise?
This is an essential litmus test of a healthy relationship: loyalty. If the client views you as interchange-
able with other suppliers, then you’re a vendor, and you’ll be subjected to constant price pressure as the
client continually shops around.
When checkups ar en’t performed r egularl y, the client
r elationships can take unexpected turns
”
(continued on page 112)
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