How to make your clients more comfortable working with you

You may not be an expert in your field, but your clients will treat you like one. Reassure them by using positive language and being up to date on everything in your industry.

Use positive language.

Stay away from passive verbs, such as “should”, “may” and “could”. Don’t tell your client that you think it may cost about $100. As the company representative, work toward giving your clients direct answers to their questions, staying away from “maybe” language.

Additionally, proofread your emails before sending them. A study reported on by the BBC shows that spelling errors deter people from doing business online—a single spelling mistake can reduce online sales by half.

Educate yourself.

It may sound simple, but I’ve seen this overlooked often. Instead of learning just the basics to get you through the day-to-day, consider how you can further educate yourself about issues affecting your company and industry.

Stay updated on current events to know how systems might change in your industry. Impress your clients by being ahead of the curve. But mostly, know where to go if questions arise. Whether it’s a company bulletin board, an online forum or a trusted colleague, figure out where to go if a client asks you a question you can’t automatically answer.

Ask “why”.

You might know what steps to follow with your clients on a daily basis, but do you know why these processes are in place? If you know more about the behind-the-scenes and the reason behind your processes, you’ll be better able to educate your client. More open communication should lead to projects that run more smoothly.

Give in to your curiosity! Ask “why” and “how” often. If you feel confident in what you are talking about, you make it easier for your clients to have confidence in you.

Is language fluency necessary?

Children are told that by learning a new language, they not only will have access to a brand new culture, but they’ll be making themselves more valuable in the job market. And adults hear that too. Time and time again, we are encouraged to take lessons or sign up for online courses to improve our language skills.

I’m part of the group that would encourage learning a new language. But acquiring a language isn’t possible without the time and motivation necessary to practice new vocabulary and phrases. And in a country where one language dominates, like in the United States, how do you go about practicing a language that you rarely get to speak? The real question is, is fluency necessary in such a country?

Certain jobs require fluency—jobs such as translation and interpretation, and even some airlines’ flight attendants! But others don’t require any sort of language ability. While I love knowing more than one language, I can’t fault anyone for not wanting to learn one or feeling as though they don’t need to learn another language.

It’s unfair to compare North Americans to Europeans when it comes to the number of languages spoken by the average citizen. The close proximity of countries in Europe does foster a better atmosphere for learning new languages and using them more frequently. So what’s the motivation for us?

My motivation? I try to practice my French as much as possible because I want to continue to visit my hometown and converse with my family and friends in a language they better understand. And I practice my Spanish because it opens so many doors for future travels!

What’s your motivation? Have you chosen to learn a new language or have you decided to spend the energy elsewhere?

Further reading: The Debate: Should Americans learn languages? (Livemocha blog)