The Alchemy of Customer Service - How the Worst Clients Reveal the Best in Us

Every web development and design team can remember the worst client they have ever encountered. It is the project you swear you will never repeat, the mistake you promise to never make again. Yet somehow, over time, you manage to manifest the same experience again and again! Where are you going wrong? Why are these problem projects and clients coming to you? It's not enough to learn how to let go of clients that aren't a good fit. It's a matter of learning how to attract clients that are the best fit for you. Not just because they have the right budget, but also because they share core values, clear communication, and trust with you and your whole design and development team. 

Many people will tell you finding the right clients requires a sales strategy or branding tactics, but real change can happen for your business when you explore the transformational power of customer service. Exceptional customer service doesn't just make client lives better, it makes your job easier, more efficient, and in the end more fun. You must create both in house and public facing customer service systems that inspire everyone involved in projects to:   

• communicate honestly,
• listen openly,
• think creatively,
• act compassionately,
• respond to conflict with courage, 
• and believe the best in themselves and others.  

These systems must be in place from the beginning of a project to the end and beyond. Great customer service is not just a plan for reacting to difficult situations once they are in motion. It is also an incredible tool for making real, authentic connections that transform your client base into a group of people you love working with, and who will tell everyone they know about you. 

Do you want to take your work and your business to the next level? Are you ready to use those worst client stories to discover how you and your team can become the very best version of yourselves? In this session you will learn how taking ownership of your project failures and building a clear structure around customer service can grow your bottom line, increase success, and make you love your job more. Customer service is not just a department; it is a philosophy and an instrument for change. 

This session is perfect for Drupal freelancers, sole proprietors, entrepreneurs, project managers, and large design/development teams.