Holding a Successful Meeting with a Tough Client

Originally published by News, profiles and stories. Reposted with permission.

A good and lasting client relationship is very vital for the success of the business. Apart from making the everyday work more enjoyable, it makes your clients feel more comfortable being open and honest with you. One of the ways of building strong relationships with clients is by holding meetings. 

Sometimes, these meetings may get a bit frosty, especially when dealing with tough clients. So, how do you hold a successful meeting with a tough client and minimize the stress they cause for you and your team? Here are a few tips.

Be punctual for the meeting

Tough clients will not only complain about the services offered but also how long they have waited for you! Being on time is a key element to having a successful meeting. It will ensure that you have adequate time to converse with the client without rushing through their issues.

Ensure that you step away from all other activities minutes before the actual meeting to prepare to meet the client. The visitor sign in system from Greetly can help you modernize the reception. Clients can easily sign themselves in with the easy-to-use application. As soon as the client signs in, you will be notified instantly.

Understand the purpose of the meeting

One of the very best tips when dealing with a tough client is understanding the purpose of the meeting. In this case, you would rather ask straightforward questions than do the wrong thing entirely. Engage in the conversation by affirming that you understand what their concern is.

When talking to the client, ensure that you maintain eye contact and give them full attention. There is nothing more annoying than talking to an uninterested party. Take notes of all their concerns step by step and then respond later. 

Utilize different forms of communication

Meetings are not always in person. These days, they are more in online mode. It’s vital not to underestimate the effectiveness of using multiple forms of communication when dealing with a tough client. There are times when frustrations may leak into the conversation. Here, texts or emails can keep the conversation calm. That means you should know when to deal with things in written form and when to pick up the phone.

There are excellent web conferencing software on the internet that you can use to hold your meetings. In this case, don’t let the lack of nuance color your relationship before it’s even off the ground. The best thing would be to clarify with the client how they would like the meeting to be conducted.

Set clear boundaries 

Even if you are willing to bend your boundaries sometimes, you can make everything clear to the tough client. When you set healthy boundaries with the client, you create headspace to do your best. And this will assure the client that you are fully committed to solving their issues.

Most conflicts happen when there is a disconnect between the clients’ expectations and your solutions. Expectations go in hand with setting clear boundaries. In this case, the clients are less likely to breach the boundaries and talk about something else outside the meeting’s scope.

Handle distractions effectively

Distractions can derail a well-planned meeting with your client. Even if you are trying to explain the important point, you don’t have to get off the topic always for them to understand. Care should be taken to avoid running out of time before you handle all the issues raised during the meeting. Same way, do not stretch the meeting far too long. 

Otherwise, the client will walk out feeling that you haven’t fully addressed their issues. If this is not the case, it may result in the meeting exceeding the appointment time. Remember to value your client’s time. Too, the place should be calm and free of any noise for optimum concentration.