In the event industry, providing exceptional client service is not a goal but a strategic imperative. Strategic client service management in the event industry goes beyond simply addressing customer needs and complaints. It involves building lasting relationships with clients, understanding their unique requirements, and anticipating their future needs. This article will explore the importance and best practices for effective strategic client service management.
Role and importance of the client servicing function
The impact of client servicing management in a business cannot be understated. Client servicing is a critical function within any organization that deals directly with customers (interface between the client and the event company). Its role is to build and maintain client relationships by providing highly required services. Good client servicing can help increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention and generate new business through positive word-of-mouth. Happy customers are more likely to return and may also recommend the company to others.
On the other hand, unhappy customers are likely to take services from elsewhere and may influence others to do the same. This can significantly impact a company’s top line (gross sale) and bottom line (net income/profit). Therefore, it is essential to invest time and resources to ensure that your client servicing management team is doing a great job.
An essential part of client servicing is to effectively manage customer expectations. This involves setting realistic targets and timelines and consistently meeting these with optimum quality. It is also vital to be proactive in addressing any problems that may arise (anticipatory approach) and to be responsive to customer feedback to continuously improve the level of services.
Good client servicing requires strong communication and interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, a thorough understanding of the work, maturity, honesty, team spirit, and a deep connection with the customer’s perspective. A demanding but essential role makes a massive difference in business success.
Client servicing: the bridge between agency and client
Event agency – client relationships are built on trust, which means the agency must understand the client and optimally deliver on the requirements.
Building and maintaining the bridge between agency and client takes time, effort, and communication. If both parties respect each other’s opinions and ideas, it will create a more positive and productive working environment. A strong relationship between agency and client can make all the difference in the success of a business. Both parties must work together to achieve the best possible results.
Although the client servicing person does not have creative control over the project, he/she plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between the service provider company and client by ensuring that both parties are happy with the outcome.
Effective client servicing
Effective Client Servicing is the ability to understand the customer’s requirements thoroughly, offer the suitable services, and deliver them in a way that exceeds the customer’s expectations. It is not just about providing a good service, but about the whole experience that the customer has with your company. This includes everything from initial contact/enquiry, brief/debrief, proposal presentation with knowledge flow, estimate approval, venue selection/booking, venue layout and floor plan for optimum use and logistics, event flow preparation along with checklists and contingency plans, coordination with all the vendors for desired deliverables, secure necessary Licenses/permissions, efficient execution on the event day, feedback session to after-sales service, support them if required for anything and then keep the connect live by simple small gestures time to time post event. Upfront on-time updates to the client for status/progress and accommodation of changes in the brief during the whole journey are the keys to effective client servicing. Creating a positive and memorable experience for the client at every stage is essential to building a strong and long-term relationship.
10 Tips for effective client servicing & management
Here are 10 ways for a client servicing person to be effective in client management:
- Know your client’s product or service, market and its consumers
- Effective planning and pre-work
- Creative problem-solving skills
- Keep the client updated on the status of their project
- Always keep the lines of communication open, be accessible, be in touch
- Be responsive to the client’s needs and concerns
- Proactively address any issues that may arise
- Keep track of all client interactions
- Keep your promises
- Continuously strive to improve the client experience
As you can see, client servicing in the event management industry is crucial. Companies can differentiate themselves from their competitors by ensuring client requirements are met. This approach is crucial to the growth and success of businesses. So, if you want to succeed in this industry, make sure you spend time making your clients feel special.