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This question is, I believe, the most fundamental one for any business. It was also the question I was asked during my very first round of job interviews after graduating from university.

I had successfully passed the first interview for a position at a large telecommunications company. I was called in for a second interview with my future boss and the vice-president, who was my future boss's direct superior. At the end of the interview, they told me I was hired! My future boss stepped out for a few moments to reprint the contract, in which I had asked for some changes. That left me alone with the vice-president. He looked at me and asked THE question:

- In your opinion, what is the most important thing for a business?

I had just taken a course on business ethics and the Toyota Way. So I launched into an explanation about the quality of the relationships between a company and its customers, employees and suppliers. He looked at me without flinching and replied:

- Not bad, but that's not it. The most important thing for a business is the customer! No customers, no business!

That conversation took place almost 20 years ago, and I remember it almost as if it were yesterday. As you can imagine, it left a lasting impression on me and greatly influenced my career.

A lasting relationship

When you meet a potential client, your conversation will focus on their needs and their problems. It's important to listen carefully and take notes. Then comes the potential client's question: can you help me?

Be honest. If you can't help them, refer them to another business. If your products or services can really help them, then tell them how your business can meet their needs or solve their problems. The idea is to build a relationship of trust with the client right from the start.

Take notes on your exchanges, your meetings, and the products and services they have bought from you. Check in regularly to see whether they are satisfied. Reply quickly to their emails and messages. You can keep all this information in a CRM (like AssisTime!) so that it's all in one place and easy to find.

A client who feels they can trust you will come back and do business with you for many years.

On the other hand, a client who is dissatisfied, or who feels they're about to be taken advantage of, obviously won't come back. Worse still, they will damage your reputation. Did you know that a dissatisfied client will tell 10 people about you, while a satisfied client will tell only 2?

What to do with difficult clients

When you're starting a business, landing your first clients is a huge task, so every one of them matters. Dealing with one or more difficult clients can take much more time than you expected. Here are a few things to think about:

A difficult client may be a dissatisfied client in disguise: take the time to talk with them to really understand their needs and frustrations. Be empathetic, avoid justifying yourself and stay calm. Work out a game plan together and watch how the client responds.

Sometimes you have to learn to say no: it's one of the hardest things to do as an entrepreneur. If you feel you can't satisfy a difficult client, refer them to another business.

Never forget the wise words of my former vice-president: no customers, no business. So you need to develop your client management skills to raise your clients' satisfaction. They deserve to be well served. They deserve a quality product or service in return for what they paid.

Simon Lacasse, Eng.
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