You Can't Win a Fight with Your Client

Tom Markert, the author of You Can't Win a Fight with Your Boss, yesterday came out with another little book of encouragement and advice, this time for the hard workers who deal with keeping clients satisfied. It's called You Can't Win a Fight with Your Client: & 49 Other Rules for Providing Great Service. Each "rule" is a short entry on how to manage your relationships with clients - large accounts or small. We pride ourselves on great customer service; in fact, it's one of the few things that makes our company stand out in such a competitive market. So it came as no surprise, as I paged through it, to find that we've already implemented much of Markert's advice. For instance, these three rules resonated with me: Rule 10: Be a Client Advocate Rule 28: Speak the Truth Rule 36: Find Ways to Make Their Lives Easier I especially liked the entry for Rule 46: Roll Up Your Sleeves.

There is no work that is beneath anyone. If a project needs to get done for a client and there is no one at the right level to do it, then roll up your sleeves and tackle it yourself. Jumping in on a project or task that is not yours demonstrates leadership and commitment. Your staff will see you doing it and will take in a valuable lesson. And of course the client will have a better experience with the company because the work got done. Everyone comes up a winner.

And in the same style as You Can't Win a Fight with Your Boss, Markert ties in clever ways to present his message: Rule 13: Win Over Frosty; Rule 14: Be Switzerland; Rule 43: Get Sticky.