As an online business manager (OBM), virtual assistant, or operations manager, striking the perfect balance between business and family life can be challenging, especially when managing client relationships. In this fast-paced world, clients’ needs and expectations are ever-evolving, making it crucial to reassess and adapt your approach. In this insightful blog post, inspired by our recent podcast episode, we’ll delve into client commitment, exploring the nuances that distinguish it from stubbornness and self-sabotage. We’ll also equip you with practical decision-making tools and techniques to ensure that your business thrives without compromising your life priorities.
What this post covers:
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- Understanding Client Relationships
- Evaluating Commitment
- Client Retention vs. Client Turnover
- Decision-Making Tools
- Scenario Analysis
- OBM Challenges
- Profitability and Resources
- Emotional Considerations in Business
- Making Informed Choices
- Adapting and Evolving
Tune in to listen:
1. Understanding Client Relationships
Client relationships can be incredibly rewarding, a testament to the impact your work has on their businesses. However, they can also be challenging, and it’s essential to navigate these complexities with confidence and honesty. The key is to foster a reliable, trust-based relationship that prioritises problem-solving and client satisfaction.
“We all know that working with clients can be amazing. It is why we do what we do. And we also know that working with clients can be a little bit challenging.“
2. Evaluating Commitment
When assessing your commitment to a client, it’s important to differentiate between genuine dedication, stubbornness, and self-sabotage. Genuine commitment means that the relationship is mutually beneficial, and both parties are thriving. Stubbornness, however, could lead you to cling to a relationship despite clear signs that it’s not working. Self-sabotage occurs when you prioritise the relationship at the cost of your own well-being or business growth.
“OBMs tend to have this people-pleasing mentality, and we go along life trying to keep everything orderly, happy, making sure everything’s running on time, running well, everybody is achieving what they need to achieve, things are running smoothly, and we want our clients to be happy.”
3. Client Retention vs. Client Turnover
The question of how long to work with any one client often arises in the world of OBMs. While some believe in nurturing long-standing relationships, others prefer providing smaller services and moving on. The key, however, lies in understanding the implications of each scenario on your business model and making an informed, bold, and data-driven decision.
4. Decision-Making Tools
To evaluate client relationships effectively, utilising practical frameworks can be incredibly helpful. One such framework involves assessing the relationship based on purpose, impact, facts, and emotions/beliefs. This structured approach allows you to make informed choices that align with both personal values and business goals.
“Today I’m going to try and walk you through which of these you might be doing, whether you’re being committed, stubborn or self-sabotaging, with the help of a little story.”
5. Scenario Analysis
Consider the story of an insurance company whose cleaning service provider decided to end their contract. While this may seem counterintuitive, the cleaning company reassessed its purpose and realised that it could better achieve its goals by working with larger clients. This bold and strategic decision shows the importance of regularly evaluating client relationships and adapting to new business environments or client needs.
“When you look at how people make decisions and the rationale that these cleaners may have used to come up with this decision, you might think a little bit differently, which brings us to what are the questions that we should be asking when we need to make a choice like this?”
6. OBM Challenges
As an OBM, you may face various challenges, such as people-pleasing tendencies and the pivotal moment of determining when to rationalise the continuation of client work. It’s important to acknowledge these challenges and address them with practical, data-driven, and solutions-focused techniques.
7. Profitability and Resources
When evaluating a client relationship, considering its impact on your business’s profitability and resource allocation is essential. Ensuring that decisions are data-driven is key to fostering a wildly-profitable business that empowers you to live a fulfilling life.
8. Emotional Considerations in Business
While it may be tempting to disregard emotions when making business decisions, it’s crucial to reflect on their role in client retention or termination. Acknowledging and understanding your emotions can lead to more grounded, authentic, and compassionate choices.
9. Making Informed Choices
In the world of OBMs, making strategic and informed decisions is paramount. Utilising structured approaches, such as the purpose, impact, facts, and emotions/beliefs framework, can empower you to navigate client relationships with confidence and authenticity.
10. Adapting and Evolving
In the ever-evolving landscape of online businesses, the importance of being adaptable cannot be overstated. Regularly evaluating your client strategies and adjusting them to meet new business or client demands is key to ensuring continued growth and success.
Over to You
In the realm of OBMs, Virtual Assistants, and Operations Managers, client commitment is a powerful force that can shape the trajectory of your business and life. By understanding the complexities of client relationships, utilising practical decision-making tools, and embracing a bold and adaptable mindset, you can foster a thriving business that empowers you to live a fulfilling and balanced life. We hope the insights from our podcast resonate with you and inspire you to examine your own client commitments.
Do you have any experiences or success stories related to shifting client relationships in your business? How have you balanced commitment with personal and business growth? We’d love to hear about your journey and learn together. Comment below or send us a message
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