Client relationship management matters and it is crucial to know how to make it work!
Nurturing client relationships can be hard work but do it well and there will be a clear path to success. Providing excellent account management to your clients will enable you to build significant relationships generating long-term results for both sides.
As we all know, each client will have different expectations at all stages of the recruitment process, however one thing is consistent and they will want their needs to be accurately understood. Therefore, having regular contact with clients is imperative and ensures that any potential issues or challenges are being addressed and solved. Getting the right levels of contact has a positive impact on both your client and candidates.
Each recruiter uses different methods to maintain regular contact with clients like meetings, telephone and/or email communication. There is a fine line between engaging with the client and becoming a bit irritating. When it comes to deciding how frequently we should be speaking to clients, opinions tend to vary quite a lot. So, how do you get this very important decision right?
Client relationships are not linear, there will be peaks where there is lots of communication and dips when not as much contact is needed. It is important to analyse the type of client you’re dealing with from the very beginning. Check if they have set hiring cycles and whether these cycles are project based or sporadic. Have a discussion with your client and manage expectations, agree timelines to catch-up, discuss strategies as well as monthly reports or deadlines. Clients that have no regular hiring patterns won’t mind a quarterly call but, as I mentioned above, each client is different so you should expect and identify changes to the communication requirements.
Make sure your contact has something informative behind it. Perhaps a new regulation, a market trend or a service you can provide them. The best communication is when you are giving something of value to the recipient. It’s a great reason to reach out to hiring managers before a scheduled call / meeting, it ensures you don’t miss out on an opportunity. Things change fast, don’t wait for a certain date to discuss it if you know changes are imminent.
Apply an organised approach to your follow-up calls and make sure you don’t miss scheduled activity. If a client asks you to follow up with them in 2 months’ time, under no circumstances should you miss this deadline.
Over time, each recruiter develops their own philosophy of what strategies and tactics they use to keep in touch with clients. Consider every contact an opportunity to bring something of value it’s better to inform rather than sell.
Richard specialises in the recruitment of Insurance IT & Business Change professionals. If you are looking to hire or seeking an employment opportunity of this nature please connect with Richard on LinkedIn, email him at richard.caccioppoli@investigo.co.uk or call him on +44 (0) 20 3009 3483
