If you work in a client-facing or customer-facing team, you probably understand the value of client relationships. A client relations manager helps build relationships with clients as well as maintain them.
Someone in this role works with the sales team and other internal teams to keep clients happy and projects running smoothly. However, what does a customer relationship manager or client relations manager job description look like?
The Importance of Relationships with Clients
Establishing communication with clients can occur in various forms of communication such as telephone, email, or short messages. Clients are the people or companies that the company serves and you will communicate through the customer relationship manager if you are offering a product.
Client relationships are a big part of building trust in the workplace. When clients have a point of contact (customer relationship manager) for your company, your relationship can thrive through open and honest conversations.
Important Elements Needed in Client Relations
There are five elements that need to be considered in carrying out client communication or communication to clients:
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Honesty
Transparency in the workplace is how you gain honesty and build trust. To have good communication, you have to be honest with clients. Be honest about what you can offer and how to help them achieve their goals. The more intense the relationship between a company's products and services, the more honest their communications.
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Adaptability
Problems can come in any situation, so you can adapt your communication to both high and low stress situations. For example, imagine your client canceling a last-minute in-person meeting because they couldn't make it to your office.
You need to be able to pivot quickly and offer alternatives such as conference calls or video chats. When you maintain a steady flow of communication no matter what, you show clients that you are committed.
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Empathy
Being able to see things from another person's point of view can go a long way in achieving the highest client satisfaction. When you bring empathy into your communications, you will be able to create rapport on a deeper and more personal level to build client loyalty to the company.
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Self Awareness
When you are fully aware of how others see it, you can communicate more clearly with clients. This awareness comes from your tone of voice, personality and body language. It is also a part of representing and talking about the company.
If you are confident but transparent about what you can and cannot offer clients, you will demonstrate self-awareness. It can be a sign you are willing to grow and learn together.
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Context
If you take context from the conversation, the direction of the communication can start to unravel. So client relationship managers must always be clear about what background they are discussing with clients. This means clearly stating the who, what, when, why, where, and how.
Skills Needed by Client Relations Managers
In addition to understanding the attitude required by a client relations manager, there are skills that are really needed in holding it accountable. Here are some skills that can help improve communication and rapport with clients:
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Negotiation Skill
The client relationship manager will often act as the liaison between the company and the client on everything from deadlines to pricing. They have to flex their negotiation skills to keep both parties happy and make good deals for everyone.
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Confident Communication
When you speak and write with confidence, you appear professional and knowledgeable. This is especially important when representing a company. You want clients to walk away knowing they're in good hands, and confident communication is a big part of that.
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Creative Thinking
The role of the client relations manager relatively overlaps with some of the sales team roles. That is, the ability to think outside the box is a big plus when new sales opportunities arise. If your company is offering new clients, you'll need to find a unique and memorable way to show that your team can meet their needs.
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Durability
When working directly with clients in the sales department or any customer-facing role, it's important to have durability in place. The sales team faced a lot of resistance so this should be understood as a matter of course. Dealing with rejection is an invaluable skill for a client relations manager.
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Industrial Awareness
To maintain an air of self-awareness, you should familiarize yourself with the company's industry. This means following market trends so you know how your company compares to the competition. That's how to find strengths and weaknesses with which to present yourself to clients in the best possible light.
How to Improve Client Communications
If you have got the expected client, be sure to continue to improve the quality. This could be just the beginning of communication with the client. You need to understand the right way to improve client communication in the following ways.
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Train Team Member
Team members who meet with potential clients become representatives of the company. Therefore, it is important to train all staff in the elements of good client communication.
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Receiving Feedback
When working with clients, you must be prepared for positive or negative feedback and know how to respond to it. If you can really listen to clients and move with them instead of against them, you can build more trust and connection.
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Responsible for any Miscommunication
When a miscommunication occurs, you must address it immediately and take responsibility for your part in the misunderstanding. This shows the client's willingness to work through moments of confusion. Good communicators can admit their mistakes and look for alternatives to always improve.
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Stay Positive
Small positive behavior has a long term impact on the communication relationship with the client. If you always greet your clients with a smile and a warm welcome, they are more likely to perceive your company as a friendly face.
To build this human connection, try to remember all the little details that clients share. If the client mentions their kids are starting at a new school, ask how things will be the next time you see them.
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Be an Expert
You have to be an expert in your company. This way, when a new, existing, or prospective client has a question, you always have the answer. You should always be looking for learning opportunities so you always know how to give your clients what they need.
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Exceed Expectation
When you go further for your clients, they are more likely to come back for more. This is a client relationship manager's job – to really impress the client. That means embracing cross-functional collaboration and doing whatever it takes to make a lasting impression.
Apart from equipping yourself with some of the above, the importance of understanding client communication also needs to be conveyed to colleagues in the team or in the company. The attention and little things that are given to clients can have far-reaching and long-term impacts on future relationships. Therefore, maintaining good communication with clients can provide continuity and success for the company.
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