Posted by Lauren Keen Aumond ● May 12, 2020

8 Ways to Support Your Clients During a Crisis

support

At Caveo, we aspire to have trust-based relationships with our clients. Although we are happy to engage on a needs-based level, our goal is always to elevate to a relationship based on trust and the open sharing of ideas and approaches. We never waver in our desire to drive tangible business results. We never forget that our solutions impact real lives and that we are here not to just do business, but to make a difference for the company and the employees our solutions affect.

Since our founding in 2004, we have earned our clients’ trust by focusing on them and the challenging issues they are trying to resolve. Our actions and council as trusted advisors are applicable in the current business environment now more than ever. Here are 8 ways we are showing support to our clients during this crisis. We hope you find these tips helpful in your practice to stay close with your internal and external clients.

  1. Show consistency

It is important to always stay in close communication with our clients. During times of crisis, it is imperative that we continue with consistent communication, showing that we are still there for them, regardless of what is happening.

  1. Be a sounding board

During communications, especially those by phone, our clients sometimes welcome the opportunity to voice concerns or even just vent some of their frustrations. We are a sounding board for them as they process the changes to their day-to-day lives, providing the additional support and advice they need to make a seamless transition to their new normal.

  1. Ask questions

In any trusted advisor relationship, curiosity is at the core. We must be authentically curious about the other individual as a person as well as about their organization and business goals. In this environment, simply asking how our clients are feeling about the current environment is a great place to start. Asking how their business is handling current events is second.

  1. Stay calm, and don’t panic

We can all appreciate a steadfast, calm voice during times of strife, so long as that voice is full of empathy and understanding. Now is the time to cut through the noise and fear mongering to reassure them that it will be okay. This is also the time to take a deep breath, reassess the current landscape, and determine their new or modified strategic direction.

  1. Be authentic

If your client does take the opportunity to voice frustrations and show vulnerability, we should reciprocate. There is a way to show professionalism while being your authentic self. Share some of your feelings in return. But always remember to remain positive with a pathway forward. Getting into a negative cycle doesn’t provide any relief while settling into the environment we find ourselves in.

  1. Remember what you’ve learned about them

We have relationships with clients that have formed over years of professional partnership. During our conversations, we recall facts about our client’s personal life, education, professional history, hobbies, etc. We talk to them about things they enjoy to remind them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and potentially reignite their passions.

  1. Use humor and logic

Some humans respond well to humor and some respond better to logic. As a global society in crisis, both jokes and analysis abound on the internet. If we believe our client prefers to make light of a situation, we may tell them about a joke we’ve heard. If our client thinks more logically, it may help to cite an article we’ve recently perused. Whatever we choose, we emphasize that we are all facing this challenge together.

  1. Show appreciation

Our clients have been a part of our professional lives since before the current pandemic and they will be in it after. We sincerely thank them for their partnership and truly express our gratitude. Without our clients, we would not be able to do the jobs we love.

 

Caveo is here for you. We are happy to listen and even offer advice that we’ve gained over the last 16 years—past, current, and future clients alike—whether that advice leads to an engagement with us or not. Sometimes, as we’re checking in with our clients, needs do arise that we have a solution for—currently we’re seeing an increased need for microlearning and eLearning development as well as overall strategic consulting and managed services help. Regardless, if you want to talk, know that we’re here with the same passion and love of learning we’ve always had.

 

weather the storm

Topics: Learning Strategy, Working Remotely