3 Simple Ways to Get Great Rapport with Non-Technical Clients
The Simple IT Success
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"I would love my job if I didn't have to deal with clients!"
How often have you heard or said that? Whether the client is internal or external, sometimes it seems that they are the very bane of your existence. Unfortunately, without clients, there would be no need for the rest if us!
Knowing that we can't get rid of clients, the next step is figuring out how to manage the client relationship. The most important thing here is to remember that being right is not enough! Too often technical professionals fall back on the logic that they are the experts, so the users should do whatever they tell them to.
A simple shift in thinking can help make your life easier. If you make creating rapport with your clients a priority, you will not only serve the client better but also help your career and help your department push its own initiatives forward.
Here are three simple techniques to developing fast rapport with clients:
Listen with an Empty Mind
If there's one complaint people have of IT groups, it is that IT professionals talk down to them and don't listen. In this harried world, it is common to hear the first twenty seconds of what someone says and then feel like we understand what they are saying. We are problem solvers - we want to stop wasting time listening and start fixing and developing things!
The problem with this approach is that if you stop listening - or worse, cut them off - you break rapport. Even if you are 100% right, you hurt the relationship by not respecting the person enough to listen to them. By taking the extra couple of minutes to let the person talk (and really listen and not let your mind wander) you strengthen the relationship. This will pay huge dividends down the road and move you from reactionary to resource,
Stick to "What," Avoid "How"
When discussing a project with a non-technical person, it is easy to start talking about how you are going to implement things. Makes sense - as a technology person, you are excited by the "hows." Unfortunately, this tactic is a fast way to break rapport .
Remember this: the client doesn't care how you do what you are going to do (if it's a tech client with specific needs, that's another story, but we are talking about the non-technical client here).
Using technical jargon is the #1 cardinal sin you can commit when talking to a client. By staying away from the "hows" you automatically avoid jargon. Instead of "how you are going to do it," talk about "what the client wants." Let them talk about their needs, and you respond in terms of their needs. Speak in their terms and about their objectives. Not only will you build rapport, but you may help them to see possibilities they missed. Once again, you build yourself as a resource and partner to the client.
Ask Why
In our haste to give the client what they want, we often forget to ask them why they want it. The simple distinction of shifting to a "why" mindset is what separates IT professionals who impact their organization and industry from people who just "do their job." The first group becomes an invaluable resource. The second group becomes a commodity. Guess which one gets downsized in lean times...
Asking the client why he wants something forces him to think in ways that he may not have before. If you can get a client to stop and say, "that's a good question," you have made them think and opened them up to new ideas. Asking "why" also digs deeper into a client's mind. You may discover that what they are asking you for is just the tip of the iceberg, and their real needs are much bigger, much more relevant, and much more exciting than either of you thought
It is important to note that when you ask "why" you are not asking in a confrontational way. You must ask with genuine curiosity, and then really listen to the answers.
By uncovering these deeper reasons, you can also gain a clearer understanding of business goals, which allow you to serve and drive the organization even more.
Developing solid rapport with clients and users is not hard. You just have to remember to slow down, listen and look at things from their perspective. Make that a habit, and you will be well on the way to IT success!