Your clients are the lifeblood of your business. You’re already giving them great customer service and providing them with a wonderful product or service, but it’s always a good idea to go above and beyond and take your service to the next level. Often this means developing a relationship with your clients that transcends business and getting to know your clients on a more personal level. Developing these friendships allows you to give them better service and also provides a more satisfying relationship for all those involved. Of course, finding a way to do this can be a more challenging issue. Here are a couple of great ways to get started.
Taking clients out for a meal
Jason Kuhr with jtk cuisine & cocktails says, “When you do something above and beyond for you client, like taking them out to dinner, you are showing you care about them and their business.” Taking clients out for a meal is also a great way to get to know them better. Whether it’s just one on one with your main contact or taking out a few key people in the office, a lunch or dinner shows that you’re interested in getting to know them outside the office. Here are a few tips for your client meal:
Research clients in advance
Look at your client’s profile on the company website or social networking site. See if you hold similar interests (groups you’re involved with, sports teams you both like, etc.) to help get the conversation flowing.
Find a place conducive to conversation
Avoid the temptation to impress your client by bringing him or her to the hottest new restaurant in town if it is a noisy environment. Visit restaurants first to ensure they are comfortable and quiet. You should also consider a restaurant that you already have a good relationship with (one of your clients, perhaps, or a place you frequent often and know the owners). It’s nice to continue to give them business and also looks good if you can greet the owner, managers or staff by name.
Take your time
“We see a lot of people bring in clients and linger over a meal for two and a half or three hours,” Jason Kuhr says. “Sometimes they talk business, sometimes it’s more casual. They just talk, enjoy the conversation, and order at their leisure.” Relaxing in a wonderful environment and spending time with your client or clients is one of the best ways to take your relationship to the next level.
Make a reservation “We always recommend making a reservation, especially if you are bringing in a client or clients,” advises Jason Kuhr. “Reservations are a must on weekends and recommended during the week as you don’t want to make your client wait for a table.”
Taking a meal to your clients’ place of business
Sometimes taking a meal to your clients’ place of business is an even better idea. You don’t have to worry about trying to organize everyone’s schedules to meet at a restaurant and their staff doesn’t even have to leave the office to have some delicious food. If you are planning on taking a meal to your clients’ office, keep the following in mind:
Make sure they know you’re coming
It might sound like common sense, but some people think that ‘surprising’ their clients is a good idea. The problem here is that you might stumble into a staff meeting or choose a day where half of the staff is out at meetings. If you make sure they know you’re coming, they can help you choose a day where the majority of the staff will be there and when they’ll have a little downtime so they can enjoy the meal at a leisurely pace.
Keep their preferences in mind
It would be a little embarrassing to bring in a meal of hamburgers only to find out half of the staff are vegetarians. The best way to get around this is to speak with your contact at the business and ask what everyone likes. Is it more of a salad group or would a taco buffet be more appreciate? Do they like sweets or should you forgo dessert?
Work with a caterer you have a good relationship with When you work with a caterer you already have a great relationship with, you know the meal you bring to your clients will be of the highest quality and the communication with the caterer will be top notch. This is especially important if you have a number of occasions to use a caterer as they will get to know you and your specific wants and needs, making the service and the food even that much better.
Take them golfing
Even though fall is quickly approaching, it’s not too late to get out on the links with your clients! According to Steve Hiller with Lincoln Parks and Recreation, all of the city courses are in great condition and ready for your outing. If golf is on your agenda, make sure you are choosing clients who are interested in the sport (if you know your clients like you should, you probably know which would love to get out on the course with you and which would rather have lunch or dinner). Other things you should find out from your client is whether they would prefer nine or eighteen holes, whether they prefer to walk or ride and if they would be able to take some time off work to go or if they’d prefer an after 5 or a weekend tee time.
Have a client appreciation event
Who doesn’t enjoy a party? A client appreciation event can be as simple as a get together in a restaurant party room with ten of your best clients or as large as a huge gathering of hundreds with a full bar, catered meal and entertainment. If a client appreciation event sounds like a good idea to you, keep the following in mind:
Make sure to plan well in advance
Not only do you need time to plan the perfect event, but you also need to give your clients plenty of time to clear their schedules and make plans to attend. Try to make arrangements at least a month in advance (longer than that if it’s a major event) and send out invites or make clients aware at least two or three weeks in advance.
Work with the right professionals
What is a great event made up of? Perfect location, wonderful food, yummy drinks and exciting entertainment! You need to find the right partners to help provide these for your party, so make sure you work with the best! This is another reason why planning in advance is critical—you want to make sure you get first pick on the best caterers, locations and entertainment and if you wait too long, they might already be booked.
“Bowling is a perfect client appreciation event because it involves active participation that already appeals to millions,” says Jennifer Davis-Korn with 48 Bowl. “After all, it is the number one participation activity in America! And the “appeal” is no mystery—the sound of pins crashing is the sound of success. You can bowl with your favorite food and beverage nearby, your parents probably bowled in a league when you were a kid, giving it that sentimental familiar feel and now you love a grudge match with your buddies! If you have clients who don’t like to bowl, there are always great places to sit and watch the action and still be part of the group.”
“For businesspeople wanting to hold a bowling event for their clients, I highly recommend calling ahead. In fact, book as far in advance as you can. We often have no open lanes in the winter for walk-ins, but are happy to reserve lanes even months in advance. If you want an event without bowling, we’re still a great option as our fine pubs are available for group events and we also offer catering and beverage service.”
Do something unique
Make your client appreciation party truly memorable by offering something unique at your event, such as a candy or snack buffet. “Who doesn’t love a candy or snack buffet?” says Barb Kock with Favor-It! “When your clients walk in the room and see that this is there for them, it makes an impact. The buffet options are endless and limited only by your imagination. We once did a very large 12 foot candy buffet for an employee appreciation party. This was the hit of the night and everyone kept talking about it as they came back for more. We have the ability to “wow” the guests at any party when they see our table on display.”
Your clients are the reason you are in business. Go beyond the expected excellent customer service and products and show them how much you appreciate them by taking your relationship to the next level. A meal out, catered meal to their office or client appreciation party is a great way to strengthen the relationship and help ensure they will remain clients for many years to come!