How do you handle tough conversations with clients?

1. What are you trying to achieve? 2. Remain calm and composed, even if the conversation becomes heated or emotional. Avoid becoming defensive or reactive. Instead, maintain a professional demeanor and focus on finding a resolution. 3. Involve the client in the problem-solving process. Work together to find common ground and reach a mutually beneficial solution.

An example that I have used is to gather the facts, lead with heart, have action items and listen to the person on the other end. In most cases there may be a learning opportunity for all involved in the conversation and it allows you to grow in having the tough conversations. Keeping the conversation productive, clear and having action item to find some resolution or win/win for all parties.

I focus on the positives and ask how I can help to overcome challenges/barriers to success. I am more successful with clients when I am clear that there is an objective that needs to be met.

The best way to have courageous conversations with customers is to make it about their needs as the reason behind it. For instance, if a customer is challenging you on deadlines, the best way to have a courageous conversation is by saying that the reason why the deadline cannot be move. You can therefore say something like "we need to make sure that we have enough time to properly deliver what you are expecting while making sure you get the best value out of it". This will 1 reduce the risks of making it conflictual and 2 increase the chances of getting the clients to agree.

In the realm of client conversations, honesty, empathy, and reliability forge path to resolution & strengthened partnerships. Here’s a quick rundown on navigating tough conversations- Preparation- Know your goals, anticipate responses, and choose your communication channel wisely. Active Listening- Beyond words, understand emotions and concerns. Empathy builds trust. Clarity & Honesty- Be transparent, avoid jargon, and be straightforward. Your credibility is paramount. Seek Solutions- Explore mutually beneficial outcomes. Compromise where possible, stand firm where necessary. Follow Through- Ensure agreements are clear and adhere to them. A post-conversation summary and consistent updates fortify partnerships.

At times, it can feel easier to send an email to a customer, but it really makes a big difference if you pick up the phone to call the customer and/or schedule a video meeting with them to cover the topic together (for those who work remotely).

As someone who struggles with people pleasing and being assertive with constructive criticism and honest feedback but knows how crucial it is, I 100% always need notes before starting a difficult conversation. Honesty and preparation isn't just nice, it's what people deserve.

One of the main reason why we do not like nor want to have difficult conversations with our customers is because we are afraid of saying no. And the reason why we are afraid is because we don't know how to. The "no-why-but" approach is about saying no without directly saying it while explaining the "why" behind (and making it about them and their needs as the reason behind it) while giving an alternative solution. For instance: “unfortunately, it is not something we can help you with (instead of just “no”) because ___. However, what we can do is ___”

Strangely enough, we're all people and have all experienced things that brought on feeling of fear; fear of getting something we don't want, or fear of losing something we want to keep. Listening to and holding space for your client as they describe their feelings over the information builds trust and respect between you both, and is a perfect opportunity to have a heightened relationship with them versus a competitor.

Listening with verbal or non-verbal nods is important for us to make the other person feel that we are fully present and interested in what he/she is talking about. We can also sense the underlying emotions of the client when he speaks.

Listening and paraphrasing is key in order to positively impact your customers' emotional perception. Only by doing so will you properly acknowledge their needs, frustration or perspective so you can get them to trust and listen to you. Science tells us that human reactions and decision-making process is emotional first and then logical. So when we decide to handle/resolve a situation with logic only without considering and acknowledging first its emotional origin, it is a recipe to failure.

By listening well. Often time, we are so engrossed in trying to convey the message/ instruction, we forget to listen to the client completely. Listening with intent will also help you plan a more empathetic response, thereby earning their trust.

Clarity and honesty are both important. However, what we often forget about is the importance of sharing complete information. Not everyone understands what we want to share in the same manner. Hence one needs to be mindful.

Seeking solutions and agreements start beforehand by being prepared in having such conversation. So how to be prepared? It starts by knowing exactly what you want to address and what outcome you want. It is also about anticipate challenging questions and prepare your answers accordingly. Finally, during this conversation, the goal is to 1 come to a point of agreement, 2 obtain commitment from client and 3 mention the next stage(s) moving forward.

When multiple aspects are being argued over, you need to decide which hills you are not willing to die on and which terms will be deal-breakers. If minor aspects to you are important to the opposite party, let them have the win and focus on the bits which are important to you. More often than you think, you will find quick and easy resolutions by bluntly asking the opposite party what their goal (or fear/worry) is and working to resolve that instead of arguing about specific wording.