As a founder, we want to keep our clients happy (because invoices).
We are uniquely positioned to do so within our agency. Talking to the founder means your problem or opportunity has been escalated. This person has the status and authority to change things for you.
So you inherently have the skills to make them feel special.
But this ability isn’t some kind of unfair advantage.
Your competitors have founders too. They also have the status and the ability to get more out of a client interaction.
And you only have so much time.
So your time with clients is an asset. A tool your agency must put to use.
So the question is, how do you invest that asset? What do you spend your client-facing time on?
There are two modes.
Mode 1: Reactive
Otherwise known as firefighting.
You need this mode.
This is where you parachute in and save the day.
This is fine, in fact you could argue that a bit of this is healthy.
If you do not have any unhappy clients, then arguably you are not pushing hard enough. You are inside your comfort zone, you need some more demanding (but reasonable) people in your life.
Overcome a bumpy patch with a client, step up and fix things and the relationship actually strengthens. You trust someone that has put in the effort to make it right more.
I believe a broken bone heals stronger but I’m not a doctor and Dear Agency Founder should not be used for medical advice.
So, assuming you have got firefighting to a reasonable place, not too little, not too much, the interesting mode is Mode 2.
Mode 2: Proactive
This is where the difference between client service and account growth can be felt.
If your proactive mode is client-service focused, then you are making sure they are happy.
You are showing your face, answering their questions, sharing the results you are achieving, and confirming they are going to pay next month’s invoice.
If this was a restaurant metaphor then you are being a good host, you set the table and made sure it is laid nicely. You have pulled out the chair for them and then served their favourite meal.
Nothing is wrong with any of this. But if that is all you did, then you did not maximise the use of your time.
You have a happy client but not much else.
An account growth demands you use that time asking them questions and finding out where they are going next.
It’s not about the invoice they will pay this month, but the invoice they are going to pay in a year.
What are the line items on that?
In our restaurant metaphor you should not be pulling the chair, but you should be sitting down to the meal with them.
And when you have finished, you should pick up the menu and ask what they want for pudding.
The pudding is what problems you can solve for them next.
It’s metaphorical pudding.
I know you knew that but I wanted to be clear you should be thinking beyond actual pudding and more about account growth.
It’s because I care about you that I’m prepared to ruin a great sign off “you should pick up the menu and ask what they want for pudding”, to make sure you leave with the correct understanding.
And obviously, if they do actually want pudding, then have pudding.