You should supply feedback to your client as soon as you can. If you wait too long, there is more risk that they may forget the kind words or gestures they should be looking at more closely. It may be more difficult to come to a solution, especially if you are no longer working with the client.
If you are sending thank you cards with positive feedback, you shouldn’t wait to compliment your client. Everyone needs to feel appreciated at work, So, providing feedback can only help your relationship and continue to work with you. You should:
Prepare Yourself
Of course, you need to make sure you provide your feedback as quickly as possible. But, you shouldn’t contact your client spur of the moment. You need to think about the way you are going to deliver it and how you will express yourself. There are many different ways you can provide feedback including email, phone call, video call, and online in their reviews. It’s best to find out their preferred contact method as this can help you to prepare.
Meet Privately With Your Client
Nothing can stop you from providing feedback online or on the phone. However, if you usually see your client in person, your feedback should be delivered in the same way. It should also be done in private, so if they usually sit in a busy office or you meet in public, let them know it’s going to be a feedback meeting so you can do it in private. Even if it is positive feedback, you should make sure you make them feel comfortable to receive it.
Be Accurate
Good communication is an essential part of a project. In order for there to be good communication, the message needs to be understood by everyone involved. Therefore you need to be as accurate as possible with your feedback. You need to provide examples and details so that if something needs to be changed it can be altered or if it worked well it can be repeated in future collaborations. The best feedback is based on the facts, therefore, you should try to steer clear of opinions. Remember good feedback is to encourage your clients to continue the good work or to improve. Above all else, it’s a way for both parties to provide guidance.
Encourage Them To Take Action
When delivering negative feedback, it’s important that you provide a solution so the same situation doesn’t happen again. It’s not about providing advice, instead of getting involved in your clients finding the right solutions. Don’t hesitate to ask questions so you can start thinking about ways they can deliver what you expect. You could use questions such as what would you do differently to deliver XY and Z, next time?
This short guide should help you when providing feedback to your clients. Remember it’s all about supporting each other instead of criticizing. Do you have any other tips that could help? Please share them in the comments section below.
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