Keep Your Clients Happy: The Power of Authentic Check-Ins

Happy clients make for a happy business. They not only provide income but also word-of-mouth advertising and references. They’re also your best asset as you grow and develop because they are on the front line of using your product. They can tell you what works and what can be improved.

You cannot pay for that kind of service—because there is literally not one available. The only way to reap all the benefits that come from loyal clients is to keep them happy.

So how do you keep your clients happy? You may think you know what your clients want, but do you know who really knows what your clients want? Your clients! 

Thus, by doing authentic check-ins with your clients, you can better understand their needs and keep them happy.

The Right Way to Check In: Be Authentic

When I asked my mentor Bill Royall to discuss the best practices for checking in on clients, he boiled it down to this: “It’s important to be in the moment with them rather than be a distraction.” 

So while you want to check in with your clients from time to time, you should never do so simply by asking, “What’s going on?” or “Hey, what will keep you happy?” If you do that, you’re not focusing on the client’s in-the-moment needs; you’re being a distraction.

Said another way, you need to be authentic with your check-in. It shouldn’t just be a task to check off your to-do list when it’s convenient for you, but a genuine attempt to improve your client’s experience.

To be more authentic, start by building an understanding of the client’s business. It is hard to check in if you do not understand your client’s demands. 

Next, clients should not hear from you only when they are receiving an invoice. They should hear from you when you need nothing from them when you are calling just to listen. Keep track of the last time you were in touch with each client and the reason for the conversation.

But you should always have a specific reason to call. Otherwise, it will feel like you’re wasting the client’s time. Try to check-in when you know they might truly need your support. An example of this is when I reach out to a client as they are preparing for a board meeting, to ask if there is anything we can do to support them in advance of it. We know roughly when their board meetings are, so we can schedule our connections at the times they are most useful.

How to Execute on Authenticity

If you have only a handful of clients, authentically checking in with them is easier. As you grow, you need to create systems in order to execute on authenticity.

Set up a Google alert for every single client. Whenever they are in the news—if they hired a new executive, or are about to expand into a new office building—reach out to say congratulations without them having to tell you what has happened. 

Take notes when needed. You probably don’t have a perfect memory, and you don’t need one. Take notes on everything relevant—when it is convenient or inconvenient for you to call, what they are or are not facing at any given time, any big milestones coming up for them. 

Maintain regular checkpoints along the way, in which you request feedback about your products and services (ideally immediately after whichever part of the engagement is related to your question).

Devote moments for appreciation that are not immediately followed with an ask. I know this sounds like basic etiquette, but you would be surprised how frequently people call to say, “Hey, I just wanted to thank you—and while I have you on the phone, let me ask you this favor…” The best way to show appreciation is when you expect nothing in return. Otherwise, it will feel like manipulation and not appreciation. 

Create a system for solving any problems that are discovered in check-ins. These check-ins will not always be rosy. Sometimes they will bring an issue to light. It’s important to not simply brush that problem under the rug. You must address it head-on, taking the time to figure out the root of the issue and resolving it. That’s one of the best ways to create loyal customers.

Listen, Listen, Listen

The most important advice for these check-ins is to truly listen. Ultimately, it all comes down to empathy: taking the time to understand your clients and their needs, and then reserving your thoughts and input on how best to offer support until after you have truly listened to them.

If you take the time to genuinely care about your clients, they will care about you. If you take the time to listen to your clients, they can help you more than you may first appreciate. If you authentically respect your clients, they will tell others about you. 

By performing authentic check-ins, you can discover potential problems early, offer support at critical times, and keep your clients happy. 

For more advice on keeping clients happy, you can find Courage to Lose Sight of Shore on Amazon.

Kelley W. Powell is CEO and partner of MacLaurin Group, a company providing technology operating partner services to portfolios of private equity companies. Supporting companies in growth and M&A activities, Kelley brings a unique experience from founder-led organization to multiple private equity-led cycles. Kelley is an avid mentor, angel investor, and chairwoman for the da Vinci Center for Innovation Angels Advisory Board at VCU. She’s also a board member of the Richmond chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, and in 2020 was appointed by Governor Northam to serve as a member of the Virginia Council on Women.