Creating a sense of partnership and collaboration with clients is crucial for businesses aiming to be seen as an extension of their clients’ teams. When a business aspires to be perceived as an extension of its clients’ teams, it commits to a deep understanding of the clients’ goals, challenges, and unique needs.
It is not always simple and straight forward to understand a clients needs when first beginning to work with an external team. This can be due to a variety of factors including larger changes within a company or sometimes mis-alignment on what the company truly needs. For the team at Codiance, it is their job to get to the bottom of each clients key issues and migraines to create systems that work better for the company and for those working in it to create a more harmonious and efficient online workspace.
Here are some key tips on how external businesses can become an integral part of the team for clients, getting to the core issues that you are ultimately there to help solve.
Getting To The Core Of The Business Challenge
Sometimes there is not a clear and direct line between the problem you are solving for a client and the over-arching challenges of the business as a whole. By actively seeking to understand the core challenges clients are facing, businesses can provide meaningful direction and position themselves as trusted partners. Businesses can then offer tailored solutions that seamlessly align with client objectives.
People-Centric Design
Adopting a people-centric design approach, businesses prioritise the real human experience in their day-to-day roles as the focal point of their solutions. This involves gaining deep insights into users’ behaviours, preferences, and pain points to inform the design process. By actively involving clients and end-users in every stage, from ideation to iteration, businesses foster a sense of co-creation and ensure that the final product aligns closely with user needs.
Collaborative Approach
Position your business as a collaborative partner rather than just a service provider. Involve clients in decision-making processes, seek their input, and encourage collaboration on projects. This helps create a sense of shared ownership.
Have The Right People Client Facing
To truly integrate businesses into their clients’ teams, it is crucial to deploy individuals with a deep understanding of both the client’s unique challenges and the intricacies of their industry. Placing experts directly in client-facing roles, rather than relying solely on sales or third-party representatives, ensures a more profound connection.
Proactive Problem Solving
Anticipate potential issues and proactively address them before they become major problems. Show initiative in solving challenges and continuously look for opportunities to add value to the client’s operations.
*Guidance from the team at Codiance