Client Expectations

What do you think clients expect from you? Yes, they want the project completed on time and under budget, but is that all? Is that the only measure of success that we have to offer them? Have you ever taken time to really evaluate not just your client’s needs, but their expectations? Have you put yourself in their shoes and considered the overall impact a product has on them, their business, and their clients?

Have you ever watched a design show on HGTV? Picture the reaction a client has when the room is first revealed, that sense of surprise and delight, the visceral response they have to the end product? Have you ever imagined what it would take to get that reaction from one of your clients? Would reaching them on an emotional level would garner more or less business? Increase or decrease referrals? Augment or diminish your reputation and credibility?

For a number of reasons (time, budget, scope, etc.), we tend to focus on our client’s needs and miss out on their deeper expectations. If you were going to spend $50,000 or $100,000 on a product, what would your expectation be?