Building strong relationships with customers is a complex, lengthy process. You can spend days, weeks or months nurturing those relationships. Unfortunately, all of that hard work can go up in smoke with a single, careless decision when it matters the most.
Client meetings are a time when you need to be especially careful about what you say. It is easy to be too casual or lack political correctness when you are used to working in a more laid-back environment. You can’t forget that things will be different when you are talking to a customer with a different perspective.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Pond’s Memories
As they say, “it is the little things that matter”, and that is certainly the case when hosting a client meeting. As you know, it is vital to make a good impression on your clients, and thus you need to think of every aspect that needs to be covered on the day. If you don’t give off a professional image, it reflects badly on your company overall, and all of these little things can add up to create client dissatisfaction. With that being said, continue reading to discover the little things you need to keep in mind. You can use this article as a checklist whenever you are meeting someone or some people important to your business.
Offer refreshments – It is important to make sure that you have refreshments on hand. Water should be available as a standard, and it is always a good idea to ask the client if they would like a tea or coffee as well.
Put the details online – You can use Michael A. Peck MAPA for inspiration. This will ensure there is a central place for everyone to find information about the meeting in case they forget. You can also track attendees online if this is a big meeting.
Cleaning – The importance of investing in cleaning services before a client meeting cannot be stressed enough. Nothing looks worse than hosting a meeting in a room that is untidy and dirty. It gives off a bad impression, and, remember, first impressions count. It is likely that people will make up their mind about your business straight away, and you don’t want their opinion to be a negative one.
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Show them around – It is vital to show your business clients around for a number of reasons. Of course, this is the polite and courteous thing to do. Nevertheless, it is also important for hygiene purposes and for the sake of safety.
Prepare fully for the meeting – Nothing looks worse than being unprepared. It is extremely unprofessional, and the client will be able to tell if you have not prepared for the meeting properly. If you find yourself unable to answer questions or the meeting does not have a proper structure, your clients will wonder why they are doing business with someone who is so disorganized. It also looks like their business does not matter to you.
Choose the right space for the meeting – You will also need to make sure you have an appropriate meeting area. This may take place in your office, a boardroom, or a rented-out conference room, depending on the nature of the meeting and the number of people in attendance.
Follow the Right Template for Your Meeting and Everything Should Go Smoothly
A lot is riding on your meetings with customers. Fortunately, it isn’t hard to make sure things go well if you handle it right. If you carefully follow the steps that have been mentioned above, you can make sure the meeting goes smoothly and nothing is overlooked.
