Two Words, Often Lacking

When people think about ways to make their business stand out from others, they tend to focus on visible elements: A slick website, great logo, social media engagement. While your brand presence can attract attention, potential clients will make their hiring decision in large part on two simple words that often get overlooked.

Customer service.

Not only can it be the difference between finding and closing a lead, but it can also become the thing your business becomes known for – good or bad. And among the appraisal profession, it is often one of the biggest pain points I hear about from users of services and appraisers themselves. To be blunt, appraisers do not have a stellar reputation in this area.

When you move from an appraisal-centric business into a Value Informed Consulting business, the absence or presence of decent customer service can be a big determinant of success. So how can this go from a weakness to, if not a strength, at least something that will not cost you business? Having spent fifteen years serving a broad membership, there are a few areas of focus I’d pinpoint.

Be Prompt, Even if You Can’t Be Responsive

The most frequent way we hear from potential clients is through email. While feelings around the prevalence of email as a communication tool varies, the speed at which it allows for communication often leads to an imbalance between how quickly people expect a response and how soon we can actually respond.

I’ve seen this addressed in a couple of separate ways. I know someone I’ve messaged with for years who uses their auto-reply to set expectations around when they’ll get back to you, and they always use 24-48 hours as the timeframe. While it does help temper expectations, it lacks the touch of an individual response.

My preference is to respond as soon as practical to acknowledge receipt of an email and provide a reasonable timeframe for a more detailed response where warranted. This allows for each response to be more tailored to each audience, and unequivocally tells the recipient you’ve received their message.

When you do finally get back with a more detailed reply, you should also share appreciation for the other person’s patience in waiting for a fuller reply. While not necessary to advancing a conversation, it makes your recipient feel good about how you value their time and shows how seriously you take them as a potential client.

One Phone Call > Ten Emails

At some point, email falls short as a communication medium. Not only does it lack the context afforded by non-verbal communication cues, but we also miss out on the tone and tenor of a spoken conversation to help understand how someone is truly feeling about things.

And let’s be honest, once an email gets to its third paragraph, your recipient is going to lose interest in reading and miss valuable information or context.

I know many people – especially the younger generations – abhor the idea of having to use a phone to, you know, speak. But one phone call can accomplish as much as ten or more emails when it comes to understanding a potential client’s needs and making them feel valued by you.

I always ask for 2-3 days or times that work for a call as part of finding time for a call – this puts control over when the conversation happens in the hands of your potential client, and again demonstrates how you value their time. Pick the option that works best for you and come prepared with any questions you have or points you want to resolve.

The Under/Over Rule

This one principle has informed how I set expectations throughout my career and is a fantastic tool for making clients feel valued. Whenever we discuss deliverables and deadlines, I will almost always understate how long something will take, and then overdeliver by getting the product to my client ahead of schedule.

This helps in two distinct ways. First, we already know how long it takes to perform most core tasks in an assignment, so we have a reasonable idea of the time we need to complete the work. By providing an extended timeline to our client and then finishing ahead of schedule they see you as having prioritized their project and, by extension, them as a client. This builds tremendous goodwill.

The second thing this accomplishes is affording some flexibility if, in fact, something comes up that will delay our ability to deliver ahead of schedule. As a parent of two, the unexpected illness in winter is a near certainty, so being able to buy myself time on the front end of a project is crucial. You may also have legitimate rush projects that pop up that, without the benefit of a buffer, you might otherwise have to decline.

When You Know You Won’t Deliver, Don’t Wait to Deliver the News

This last point is one I’ve seen come up during especially busy periods – taking on a client or assignment, and then “ghosting” on the project because something more time-sensitive or lucrative jumped the queue. It absolutely happens, and the only absolute is you will disappoint the client who gets bumped in the process.

Simply disappearing is a guarantee to disappear as an option for that client moving forward. Don’t do that, ever, even if you know they’ll be upset and let you know about it directly.

Instead, own the issue. “I’m sorry” should always be the lead-in for the conversation, and you should be able to explain why the work will be delayed or, in extremely limited circumstances, left incomplete. Acknowledge how this negatively affects your client as well – even if it does little to change their perception of you, it is less damaging than ignoring the impact your (lack of) performance will have on them.

To the extent possible, have some solutions available. Is there someone you know who you can refer them to for the work that’s required? Can you reassess the timeline and delay completion of the work? Is there an alternative product or service you can provide that will meet their needs, at least partially, so they’re not stuck? Handing someone a problem without offering solutions – even if they aren’t tenable – is a half measure at best.

Ultimately, our names and reputations are the foundation of how clients and leads see us, and the way we interact across all points of an assignment can be the difference between “never again” and “next time”. Especially where referrals can be on the line, always work to make the best possible impression even if the work doesn’t come to fruition, because you never know what may come down the road.