5 Tips On How To Interview Your Clients

It's quiz time. Get out your pencils, a sheet of notebook paper, and your A-game understanding of your firm's clients. Pick one particular client contact to think about, someone you feel confident that you know very well.

Now, for our first question: If you asked [person's name] to tell you why they chose to hire your firm, what would they say?

Maybe you know this one. You're pretty sure it was because of your impressive proposal, or because you were recommended by a friend of a friend.

Next question: If you asked [person's name] to tell you how they've benefited from your services, what would be their answer?

Easy...you say. You came into their company, pointed out some places they could save money, make money, improve quality, something having to do with your area of expertise. So, what's the point of this exercise?

Believe it or not, your superhuman powers of clairvoyance may not operate quite as well as you think when it comes to your clients and how they view your firm and the work you do for them. Your clients hold the key to understanding how they perceive you and your firm, your impact on their business, and how your firm compares with the marketplace of outside choices at their disposal.

So if you can't necessarily predict what they will say, why not ask them? When you think you know how your firm and your work are perceived, but you don't even ask “How did we do”, and follow it up with a “No, really… how did we do?”, you are probably missing crucial feedback from your clients. Here are five tips that will help you capture this information.