Client service is a prominent part of my role as an Account Manager (AM) at Quirk and has always been one of my favourite elements of any job I have done. As an AM I get to meet, chat and work with a variety of individuals, but authentic client service is not always a valued part of the AM role. Sales, profits and big brand names are often the area of focus. 

Don’t get me wrong the closing of a deal, money in the bank part is crucial, without it there would be no service, product, dedicated AM or skilled production team etc, but let’s look at it from a different perspective… the following is an Idea - of 5 that was presented by Kevin Eikenberry on his Remarkable Learning blog:

“Focus on serving not selling. People buy from those they like, trust and respect. Sales will come. Focus on the person, building the relationship and serving them”

Ghandi provided a valuable way to look at customers. (Image via Flickr by Marcy Hargan under CC)

Now I am really driving this thought process home and there is no better or more legendary way of doing this than with this quote from the peaceful activist Gandhi:

“A ‘Customer’ is the most important visitor on our premises.
He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him.
He is not an interruption on our work. He is the purpose of it.
He is not an outsider on our business. He is a part of it.
We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

Having spent all of my working life in the client service realm - whether it was focused on sales or designing and coordinating events - I am a firm believer that the essence of good customer service is forming and nurturing a relationship with customers. A relationship that each individual customer feels is adding value to their business.

The online industry is no different. Client service is client service is client service.

There are however a few different dynamics when dealing with clients in the online realm. As Lyndi outlined in her post on tips for good client service, we have become more reliant on our instant yet virtual communication i.e. email, MSN, Google Talk to name a few. This is great for the immediacy of the response or the provision of information, but it does not bolster the relationship between the individuals. We may be providing an array of super eMarketing tactics, but we should never underestimate the power of personal interaction – pick up the phone.

The sheer volume of knowledge available to those who are online or connected should be one of the next wonders of the world.

Often it is taken for granted by the generations who have grown up in this online age, but for many the Internet is an untapped resource. Herein lies a tool for furthering the client relationship - when you come across a blog, website or Facebook group that is relevant to your client’s industry, share it with them. They might be surfing the same content as you, but they might not come across exactly the same material and even if they do, they would still appreciate the fact that you are thinking of them and their business.

Client service in the online world is very much about taking up an ongoing educational role - sharing knowledge about the ever growing world of eMarketing and how these methods can be of use to your prospective or existing client.

The UK QuirkStation deals with a different set of dynamics to its South African equivalents. They often deal with clients who have more experience with online marketing and who already set aside a percentage of their overall marketing budget for eMarketing activities which makes for a more competitive environment. In South Africa we focus on compiling proposals that not only sell our services but educate on the processes involved and the benefits derived from the various online tactics. The arrival of the eMarketing textbook has provided a wonderful way to share even more knowledge and a new and better way to introduce ourselves to prospective clients.

To conclude: It is as imperative as ever to know your client’s business, manage the relationship, be highly responsive and proactive and to, of course, add value.

The basics of good client service are as relevant in the online world as they have ever been offline.

Peace, Love and Client Service.