You're working with a client who's never satisfied. How can you deliver results that meet their expectations?

An important step is to make the client feel like they are part of the process and that they are heard. Keeping them updated and involved every step of the way and utilizing their expertise along with yours can make it feel truly collaborative.

These are some great comments. I have nothing more to add than to say that unfortunately, the squeaky wheel often gets the oil but every so often, the squawking hen gets the axe. We have our sanity to care for as well.

The key is to tailor the results through storytelling. By weaving the data and outcomes into an engaging narrative or even creating a shareable video, you can present the results in a way that resonates more deeply with the client. Quality communication is crucial here. It's about regularly sharing updates and results, ensuring the client feels heard and their expectations are understood. Building trust through this open dialogue is essential, and so is maintaining creativity in how results are presented.

Communication is the key. Speak to the client and understand the disconnect Try to revise your strategy and align with the expectation

In my experience a clients goals are fluid, and flexible and they evolve as the project evolves and this demands that your approach be agile and flexible and that you and move away from a static understanding of the clients needs. Check in regularly and reaffirm the expectations, adapt where need be and keep doing a stellar job.

Dealing with a hard-to-please client requires effective communication as the linchpin. Start by establishing a clear understanding of their expectations and objectives. Engage in regular, transparent dialogues, not just about progress but also about strategies and potential roadblocks. This open line of communication allows for real-time adjustments and demonstrates your commitment to meeting their needs. Additionally, active listening and empathetic responses play a significant role in aligning with the client's vision. Through this approach, you can turn challenges into opportunities for delivering results that resonate with even the most demanding clients.

It’s important to speak the client’s language and meet them where they are. When it comes to the marketing field, the alignment of the client in the strategy is critical to gain before execution. In order to gain that alignment, it’s important to invite the client into your space with terminology with which they’re familiar. When I left the agency world and went into doing in-house marketing, I had to learn how to speak like a non-marketer so the internal stakeholders (which I view as clients) could understand how the marketing strategy ladders up to the overarching vision for the organization. Additionally, in my communication, I always focus less on the how and more on the impact of the strategy to the goals of the organization.

Focus on clear communication. Maintain consistent and transparent communication throughout the project. Regularly update the client on progress, address any concerns promptly,and be open to feedback. Communicate clearly and concisely using both verbal and written communication. This helps to avoid misunderstandings and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Keep it real: Be upfront about what we can realistically achieve given our time, resources, and scope. Keep everyone in the loop with any roadblocks or limitations we might encounter along the way.

Establish a regular communication cadence that works for you and the client. Review progress to goals, talk through challenges and be ready to listen to your customer for good or for bad. Tailor each week's check in around what is working, what can be optimized and really engage your customer in this process to gain their buy-in. Remember that the most often overlooked component of good communication is listening without the intent to necessarily respond.

Before taking on an assignment, it is very important to align expectations. Expectations should be quantitative, rather than qualitative. Try setting outcomes which are measurable and practical. Targets set should be documented in a detailed manner to provide clarity and also prove to be a reference point. Furthermore progress against those targets should be provided on a weekly basis to make sure your client is always aligned with the progress & directional approach.

A menudo las expectativas de un cliente y cómo nos transmite sus deseos difieren bastante y es uno de los puntos más difíciles de gestionar. Se puede caer en un equivoco paternalismo al explicar conceptos técnicos pensando que el cliente no va a ser capaz de entenderlos y tratarlo de modo equívoco. La mejor manera de gestionar esta situación es poner en contexto pasado y presente para que el futuro tenga sentido. Seamos directos honestos y sencillos en nuestra comunicación.

Communicate clearly, both verbally and in writing. Always ask for clarification if something is unclear. There is no shame in repeating something back to your client just to be sure you understand it correctly. Factor in their needs but communicate your needs too. And be clear-cut yet professional.

Brand managers want to see results overnight, but PR is earned media and results take time. A lack of managed expectations is one of the main reasons brands are disappointed in the results of their PR efforts. Be clear on goals, what you can do, and about how long things will take.

In reality, life is too short to be carrying clients like this. A ‘difficult to please’ client will have expectations above and beyond what can reasonably be expected. We’ve been there. We’ve binned the client. It’s not worth the hassle and has a negative effect on staff wellbeing!

Presenting your data and insights isn't just about transparency—it's about storytelling. Articulate your achievements, impact, and ROI with clarity and conviction, making every number and narrative shine.

Antes de apresentar os resultados para o cliente, durante o processo é importante dar visibilidade sobre o trabalho, para que o cliente possa acompanhar cada etapa do projeto e a sua evolu??o. Após isso, no momento de apresentar os resultados é importante realizar análises que reforcem o crescimento do projeto, mas além disso os desafios superados para alcan?ar o resultado.

We are visual creatures! Show it don't tell it. Be clear and simple with your visuals. Think about how TED Talks are presented. Most slides have no words, just images that help add flavor! Thanks!

Lack of satisfaction might be coming from intense pressure or unrealistic expectations from your client's superiors. Showcase your results and contextualize the impact in a format that makes it quick and easy for them to re-share internally, meaning your combined impact can be amplified with minimal effort to their stakeholders.

In presenting results to our clients, the essence lies not in highlighting our work, but in the clarity of communicating the achieved results, and sometimes the next steps. Of course, it is necessary to concretely show the accomplishments and prove the return on investment. But the deep goal is to make the tangible benefits understood, by setting aside embellishment. Comparing with the starting point is essential.

It's crucial to consistently seek feedback from them, involving them at every decision-making juncture to ensure they play an active role in reaching conclusions, minimizing potential fallbacks. Utilize the feedback to comprehend their patterns, operational methods, and thought processes, aiding in staying ahead of their needs. Remain prompt and vigilant. Demonstrating your full commitment ensures they recognize and appreciate your efforts effectively. Lastly, remain patient. Things will fall into place in due time.

Set up a discussion specifically for feedback - and if inclined to do so, send them a short survey to complete first which will allow you to see if there are any areas to work on or have a more in-depth discussion about. It also gives you a chance to get your ducks in a row ahead of the session. Feedback discussions should be given dedicated time as it's not something to discuss in passing. If the client is not happy, you'll want to give them a chance to say what they need to say (makes them feel heard), explain your side (which can go some way towards clearing the air), apologise if you need to, and then find solutions for the issues and agree how to move forward constructively.

- Do not be married to your work, ideas, and results: while they may seem perfect to you, they are certainly not perfect for everyone. - Rather, welcome the feedback/critiques/complements, and ask clients to elaborate on why they are giving that feedback. If you receive the same feedback from multiple sources, take it as a hint ;)

“The best way to find out if you’re doing a good job is to ask for feedback from your clients.” - Sam Walton (Founder of Walmart) Optimising Client Satisfaction for Long-Term Success Proactive Expectation Management | Transparent Communication Channels | Quality Delivery Through Course Correction | Reassessment for Optimal Outcomes. This kind of proactive strategy prioritises clear communication, realistic expectations, and unwavering commitment to quality. Our ultimate goal is to cultivate long-term client relationships built on mutual trust and success.

Inside the client's company are valuable assets that most of the time are being discarded since our relationship is with somebody high in the hierarchy, ask for comments and opinions from those in constant contact with their customers since they hear their pain points every day

But hey, let's not forget to laugh along the way. After all, dealing with demanding clients is like a rollercoaster ride—you're gonna scream, you're gonna laugh, and hopefully, you'll come out the other side with a big smile on your face. And if all else fails, just remember: you're doing your best, and sometimes that's all you can do.

One thing I have found helpful, is to find out their why? Let’s find out why they are difficult. Because many times there is something in their life that is truly hard. If you can open a dialogue that offers transparency, it is going to be easier to effectively manage the business relationship and the outcome.

-define objectives and requirements with the client to ensure alignment. -maintain open and transparent communication channels to address concerns promptly. -set realistic goals and timelines, ensuring the client understands what can be achieved within constraints. -seek feedback throughout the process to make necessary adjustments and improvements. -ensure high-quality deliverables by adhering to industry standards and best practices. -be adaptable to changes and willing to accommodate reasonable requests within scope. -keep detailed records of agreements and decisions to mitigate misunderstandings. -provide ongoing support post-delivery to address any issues and ensure client satisfaction.

Making Mistakes or Failing is rephrased as "Falling Down" and Getting Up and Running Again. For example, as kids we fell down from our bicycles ?? Multiple Times, got injured forehead, bruised knee and elbow, but did we quit riding, the answer is a Big NO. We didn't quit, everytime we fell, we rose up and became more cautious and finally to an expert rider. Learning is an Ongoing Process from Performance, Never Shy Away from it.

Stepping back and reviewing a client relationship/project is such an important and often overlooked part of the process. We're all busy and on to the next thing, but we need to take a beat and review the good, the bad, and the ugly of each partnership to see what we can take to the next one. The hardest part can be constructive feedback for your own team - reviewing how they communicated with the client, what they could have done better. Each piece of the puzzle needs to take accountability for their role, and if we don't provide feedback, no one has the opportunity to improve.

Hot take: fire the client. If they are truly never satisfied, why would you waste your cycles and creative energy trying to satisfy somebody who is ungrateful? I'm not being glib. The amount of time you will waste trying to figure out a way to please them could better be spent on a client who appreciates what you do or where you have more alignment. I have a colleague who does a "nose scrunch" test. If a client gives them the "ick" or makes them "scrunch their nose" more than once they let them go. Being in PR/strategic comms is stressful enough. If you haven't done your job well, then absolutely go the extra mile. But if a client is consistently difficult, maybe they just aren't a match for you/your agency.

This is the entire point of metrics. Set metrics at the beginning of the agreement with the client. Then, work relentlessly to achieve them. If you're meeting metrics and the client still isn't satisfied, work with the client to determine what, from a metrics perspective, would make them satisfied. If you're meeting the new metrics and the client still isn't satisfied, you're playing a losing game.

One main tip that always works for me, take the ownership, don’t act as an agency, consider yourself the client, walk in his /her shoes, understand the pain points. The clients has this feeling that they need to chase the agency to get things done, if ever they feel that agency are an actual extended team not a temp people, the whole equation will change!

It's time to collaborate on the deliverables, what success looks like, and what will satisfy the client. Measure results regularly, and know exactly how you do against those metrics. Have proof that metrics are being met. And accept that some clients will just never be satisfied, even if you meet or beat those KPIs.

We work with all kinds of clients. Some are appreciative of your efforts and some are always not fully satisfied. Ask yourself did you give your best and did it work for the client. Did the leadership appreciate your outputs, sometimes the manager interfacing may be extra critical. Good to deploy an account manager who vibes well with the rank and file in the organisation. Be accepting of the feedback and continue to work closely with the clients. Good to take your leadership to meet the client to assure that the entire team is committed to churn out the best on behalf of the client.