Smoothing the Bumps - Making Your Client Experience Friction-Free
By VICKY BROWN
It’s time we had a chat about something that can make or break your professional service business. It’s that secret sauce that keeps clients coming back for more, singing your praises, and basically doing your marketing for you. Yep, I’m talking about the world of client experience, and specifically, how to make it so smooth your clients will feel like working with you is effortless.
After all – that’s the point. If you’re a service business, your big draw is you’re taking some pain point away from your client, making their lives easier, and doing it in a way that doesn’t add too, but subtracts from their stressors.
Actually, in some companies you can see it every day – Amazon is a great example. You want to order face cream, you do a search and the one you want (and eleventy million others) show up. Make your choice and you can add it to your cart right there. Or, you can even do ‘one-click’ so you don’t even have to go thru the payment selection process. Just one-click, and boom – your face cream is whisking it’s way to your door. And not for nothing, but you’ll probably get it in two days. In fact, recently I ordered something at 8:00pm, and it was waiting for me at the office the next morning at 11:00am.
Now, love them or hate them – Amazon has the frictionless client experience thing down – to a science. And when you think about it, that’s what it takes – science. You have to pay attention, and study what your clients goes thru, so you can take real actionable strategies to transform your business from meh to wow.
There are all sorts of benefits in smoothing out your client experience. Of course, it makes the client happier, and a happy client is a referring client. But keep in mind it also does great things for your team. They become more energized because they aren’t constantly putting out fires, or dealing with the same questions over and over. Nope, you’ve created a process that solves for all that – and that’s just better for everyone involved. But how do you get there, from here? Well, let’s start even before the client is a client.
Here’s a pain point absolutely every client, or prospective client will encounter – pricing and billing. When you’re shopping for something – what’s one of the first things you look for….how much does it cost, and what do you get for that price. So your pricing page, or proposal or however you choose to communicate price to your client – needs to be clear. If your fee structure needs a PhD to understand, you’re doing it wrong. Keep it simple and keep it clear. And make sure your invoices are detailed, so that even your most cost-conscious client can’t find anything to question.
Oh, and while we’re at it, let’s drag your payment systems into the 21st century. If you’re not offering multiple payment options and automated billing, you’re basically asking for headaches. You and I both know that anything having to do with money is a pain point just begging to be smoothed out.
Next, think about the first impression – your client onboarding or implementation process. It’s all about clarity and ease. Start by listing what you want your client to know, do or have at the end of the onboarding process. What will you need them to give to you? Then, approach it from the other side – how can the client get there in the easiest and fastest way possible.
For instance, my business is a human resources consulting firm. That means one of the things we need from new clients is all their existing personnel files. And since many times those files are paper, we take on the responsibility of messengering them to our offices, scanning them (and yes, I mean every document) and putting them in our online platform.
“…Amazon has the frictionless client experience thing down – to a science. And when you think about it, that’s what it takes – science. You have to pay attention, and study what your clients goes thru“
Now sure, that’s a hefty job – but the alternative would be to ask the client to provide the files in a digitized format. And that might mean they would be the ones gathering and scanning etc. And believe me, that is most definitely NOT what I would call friction free.
So, sit down and create a roadmap – something that can guide them through every step of the process. By the way, this has the added benefit of giving your new client visibility into what is happening during the process. And that can be really helpful because they’re new to you and your process, so anything that shows organization and progress reinforces trust.
Oh and pro tip here – automate when and where you can. It makes things easier all around. No filling out the same information on multiple pieces of paper – all that just screams…we’re so old school that….well, that we’re old school!
Next – think process, process, process. We have a process for getting our agreements signed; a process for notifying the appropriate departments of the new client; a process for initiating the onboarding process; a process for communicating important information to the client; a process for document collection; a process to establish or take over the existing payroll – well, you get the idea.
We started with creating individual processes, then we looked at each one and said ‘how can we make this easier and faster’; then we looked at them again and said ‘what does this feel like if I’m the client going through this process’. You see, you have to go through this exercise to develop the final, effective, easy peasy roadmap.
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Now, let’s talk communication. In my book, this is the backbone of any great client relationship. You need to be reliable, consistent, and there when needed. But here’s the kicker – it’s not just about being available. It’s about being proactive. Don’t wait for your clients to come to you with questions or concerns. Get ahead of the game. Schedule regular check-ins, send progress updates, and for heaven’s sake, use a project management tool that lets your clients see what’s going on. Transparency isn’t just a buzzword – it’s your new best friend.
And when you’re thinking communication, don’t forget personalization. No one needs another generic eMail – a little personalization goes a long way. Remember your client’s dog’s name? Use it. Know they prefer email over calls? Respect that. Celebrating a business milestone? Send them a handwritten note. It’s these little touches that transform a good experience into an unforgettable one.
Now, to effectively pull this all off – you’re going to need help. Technology help. If you’ve been around a bit you know that I’m a big believer in the power of tech to make our lives easier. But, and this is important, I’m not talking about replacing human interaction with soulless automation. I’m talking about using tech to enhance the human touch. Client portals, scheduling software, e-signature tools – these aren’t just fancy add-ons. They’re the building blocks of a friction-free experience. They free up your time so you can focus on what really matters – building relationships with your clients.
And you know, you don’t have to cast around in the dark trying to figure out what your clients would like. The best source of information on how to improve your client experience is your clients themselves. So ask them. And then share that feedback with your team – after all they’re the ones in the trenches, interacting with your clients day in and day out. If they don’t have the information, tools, and aren’t empowered to make decisions – then they won’t be equipped to provide a stellar experience. And all your other efforts are going to fall flat.
So you see, the secret to reducing friction in your client experience isn’t really a secret at all. It’s about being intentional in every interaction, and always, always putting your client first. No, it’s not always easy, but I promise you, it’s worth it. Because when you get it right, when you create an experience that’s truly friction-free, that’s when the magic happens.