Your client has lost faith in consultants. How can you regain their trust?

But sometimes the bridge is burned so badly it requires complete reconstruction. As a young VP at Texas Instruments I inherited all strategic consultants. Asking my predecessor and bosses about their performance, it was clear we weren’t getting value for money. I fired them all. Two firms made weak promises and asked for another chance, but made no promises about changing or concessions. Then gave up and went away. One said I was only a functionary to administer contracts for the board. They attempted to prove that point. As far as I know they are still blackballed after all this time. One firm sent a senior fellow who asked why they were out. After listening, he came back with an offer to rebuild with several concessions. He won.

Almost all consultants go about the client relationship the wrong way ... just look at their websites. Here's what we do, here are our products and services ... vast numbers of services. As a BUYER, I want to know that you can solve my problem - I want to know that you can put yourself in my shoes and understand, deeply, how you can help me. I don't care about your services until I know that you have the EQ, business smarts, human smarts to really help me and that you have the capacity to tailor your services to my problem... and my problem could be that I don't understand my problem so you need to be able too start there.

If losing a client comes as a shock you really weren’t listening. Neither is it the end of the world - all clients will leave eventually, for many possible reasons. If you follow the 20700 guidelines in establishing your client relationship you will be well prepared for this inevitable outcome. The most important thing is to leave on excellent terms, with a referenceable client.

Active listen is a critical skill for consultants. I often use the LAERC model: listen, acknowledge, explore, respond, and confirm. The pitfall that catches consultants is when they are not actively listening to their clients and instead are trying to solve a problem without actively listening. If you are trying to think about how to solve a problem while your client is talking, you are missing potentially critical aspects (e.g., root causes, hidden issues, etc.).

Regain client trust by acknowledging past issues, providing a clear action plan with transparent milestones, demonstrating quick wins, and offering regular, honest updates. Show commitment through consistent, high-quality work and involve the client in decision-making to rebuild confidence.

J’ai trouvé aussi très utile de décrire l’imputation des temps par grandes missions et surtout le profil des consultants mobilisés à chaque fois. De nombreux clients pensent souvent qu’on peut leur facturer le travail d’un junior au prix d’un associé. Cela créé beaucoup de suspicion. L’usage de l’IA interroge aussi beaucoup de clients. Ne seront-ils pas facturés beaucoup pour une prestation express grace à cet outil?

Transparency is critical to building relationships but what is often missed is the benefit of building in efficiency. Where there is transparency, there is inherent trust which leads to greater autonomy in operations which is crucial to project efficiency. This in turn can lead to transparency in communications making the whole process a mutually beneficial cycle.

Rebuild Trust: Embrace Radical Transparency. Be radically transparent from the outset. Share your process, progress, and setbacks openly. Regularly update the client and involve them in decision-making. This honesty fosters a collaborative environment, showing that you value their input and are fully committed to their goals. Transparency and consistent communication are key to rebuilding and maintaining trust.

To regain trust, prioritize transparency in all interactions with the client. Be open about your processes, methodologies, and the reasoning behind your recommendations. Provide regular, detailed updates on project progress, including any challenges encountered. Encourage questions and offer honest, straightforward answers, even when discussing difficulties or setbacks. Share information proactively and be willing to explain complex concepts clearly. Demonstrate accountability by acknowledging mistakes and outlining corrective actions. By consistently being transparent and forthright, you can rebuild the client's confidence in your consulting abilities and show that you value their trust above all else.

Transparency adresses to the development of high levels of credibility and confidence by showing not only the benefits but also the risks (Risk - Benefit Ratio).

Put your money where your mouth is - structure remuneration based on the results of your consulting. Of course, it is very involved topic with pro's and con's with obvious con's being that you are not responsible for execution and there are things beyond your (consultants) control and reach. At the same time you need to pay your bills and maybe salaries of your staff etc. But, there are many ways to achieve it. It is all in combination of structuring your work, taking some risks and being confident in your ability to bet on your expertise and right opportunity which will ultimately result in long term relationship building and good reputation!

C'est vrai que l'image des consultants est souvent écornée. En particulier dans les TPE-PME. Soit par méconnaissance du métier du conseil, soit par mauvaise expérience avec un #consultant... Je suis à la tête d'une petite structure. Je mets en avant du sur-mesure. Pas de méthode standardisée. Donc quand un client me fait confiance, qu'il m'achète une prestation, je n'ai que 2 possibilités pour lui montrer très vite la "valeur" à générer. ?? J'ai eu une recommandation : je m'appuie sur les résultats de la mission réalisée pour le prescripteur ?? Je m'attache à démontrer la qualité de ma perception de son problème. Par l'écoute active, la reformulation, je montre que je l'ai compris. Une fa?on de générer une 1ère valeur dès la prospection.

Clients are more attracted towards value delivered. To regain their trust , all one need to focus on ensuring the quality of deliverables. This can be done through multiple iterations on the work and quality check before releasing it. Active participation of the clients should be worked through continuous engagement.

Results Speak Louder: Prove Your Worth Through Action. Regain trust by delivering tangible results. Shift the focus from grand promises to measurable outcomes. Start with small, impactful projects to demonstrate your expertise and reliability. Consistently meeting or exceeding expectations will rebuild confidence and showcase your commitment to your client's success.

One client was frustrated with consultants who had disappeared after the first proposal. You re-establish trust by setting up routine checks and updates. For example, you can set up bi-weekly meetings to review progress, discuss barriers and agree next steps. By ensuring the client is always informed and involved, they feel in more control and in more partnership, which restores their confidence in the consultation process.

Consistent communication is crucial in rebuilding trust with a client who has lost faith in consultants. Establish a regular schedule for updates and check-ins, utilizing multiple channels such as emails, calls, and meetings to ensure accessibility. Be proactive in sharing insights, progress, and challenges, demonstrating transparency and commitment. Encourage feedback and open discussions, showing that the client's opinions are valued. By maintaining a steady flow of communication, you can foster an environment where the client feels involved and informed. This consistent approach helps rebuild confidence, showcases your dedication to their success, and ultimately restores trust in your consultancy services.

Consultants often get a bad rep for what is often referred to as “consultant speak” which employs a lot of consulting jargon. Having been on both sides of the plane, in my opinion, consultants need to simplify communications and gauge clients’ preferences and consciously adapt to their needs. Every client will need an approach tailored to their preferences, and one size does not really fit all as some consultants may try to follow. Weekly / daily updates are important but the way the updates are presented make all the difference.

Developing expertise in : 1. Communication skills 2. Presentation skills 3. Language skills 4. Body language skills make a strong bond and develop a high level of credibility between sales professionals and Consultant.

After implementing a new Scrum framework, you realize that the client's teams are struggling with adoption due to their own specific work culture. Instead of sticking inflexibly to the original plan, you gather feedback and adapt the approach to better fit the environment. For example, you introduce hybrid agile methods that respect some of the traditional workflows, showing that you are flexible and willing to learn, which helps to win back the client's trust.

Being Flexible to adapt and adjust your approach based on the client's feedback and needs. We can collect all concerns and requirement from clients relate to projects. Bring this to discuss internally with project team, then specify on how we can offer alternative ideas; with multiple solutions or options to clients.

Adapting in Consultancy is critical to survival. Consultancy is a people business at its core but technology and market trends are the enablers of change and if people don’t change, they perish. As a consultant, you tend to hone in on specific skills and tend to get comfortable in your skin. With changes in market, if you don’t stay on your toes and adapt, you will be left behind because you will no longer be relevant to clients and their business needs.

One effective way to build a long-term partnership is to change how the consulting team’s value is assessed. Instead of using a "per hour billing" model, linking the consulting organization's earnings to the client's growth metrics (such as revenue, plant throughput, and profit) can demonstrate a vested interest in the client's success. This approach can enhance trust and showcase the genuine value delivered.

The relationship that exists between clients and consultants is a complex one, as the parties involved have different expectations (Expectation Gap). This difference in expectation often affect their trust in each other. Identifying and resolving these differences is key in building a strong and effective partnership [trust] between the client and the consultant.

First, acknowledged the sad truth of the client’s bad experience to consultants he/she had worked with. Make the client feel safe to share the experience, and that make him/her understand that there are going to be bad apples in the mix. But re-assure that there are also value that consultants bring, and finding the right match of consultants with respect to his/her needs and pain points can provide the right dose of consulting experience.

Position as a partner with equal stakes in the business. Understand why the trust was broken, be critical of how to resolve the issues together. Be not afraid to confront the truth. Trust is built with actions, sincerity and be confident to sit on par with the partners as you are hired as an expert. Consultants must be non bias even when dealing with senior leaders or shareholders.. how else can you facilitate uncovering the truth, good and bad ugly and clarify the vision to move the client forward? Focus on providing solutions, and never on a person. Cast the lens on the future and not on the past. Bring value by delivering clear scope of service, and be not afraid to challenge the status quo.

To rebuild trust when a client has lost faith in consultants within a partnership: Clear Communication: Be transparent and responsive. Consistent Performance: Deliver reliably. Conflict Resolution: Address disputes constructively. Results-Driven Approach: Focus on successful outcomes. Remember, rebuilding trust takes time, but these steps can strengthen your client-consultant partnership.