I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing and reflecting on the good, the bad (and I guess the ugly) of 2021 and how as a business, we have done really well as well to adapt to the crazy events of the past 18 months as well as look at where we have fallen short. This is in the hope that we can learn, evolve and continue to improve our services and products.
One of the key and persistent truths that kept coming back was that relationships really matter.
Building good relationships with our clients has always been a key value/principle we have had at the centre of the business. We have always tried to be easy to work with, approachable, helpful and talk with clarity and honesty. We have always tried to be down to earth and avoid making unrealistic projections and promises to clients. We have always tried to listen first and advise second and to work collaboratively with our clients to produce the best results possible.
And to be perfectly honest, for the most part this has worked very well. However, you have to be deliberate to build these fruitful and productive relationships. They take time, effort and a desire to make it happen.
When you get it right…well that is when the exciting stuff starts to happen!
Here are my top three reasons why we value strong relationships with our clients.
Our best work in 2021 came out of good relationships
Let me define what I mean by ‘best work’. This is work that has lasting value, work that is in line with the charities/organisations goals and vision. It is planned, thought through, executed to a high standard and reviewed.
This kind of work is impossible without good relationships with our clients. We are at our most effective when we spend time understanding your charities values and goals (long and short term). To do this we need to be proactive in stopping and listening. We need to understand before we offer solutions, advice and direction.
The alternative is far more reactive, and can often fall into the trap of the clients self prescribing solutions or us offering ideas before fully understanding the problem.
Together we achieve better things and collaborative working is far more rewarding, fun and effective.
Everyone learns and grows
This is one of the best by-products of effective collaborative working. Everyone learns and grows on a personal level. By working together we can share knowledge, skills and experiences that make what we all do in the future better. Having a desire to learn and share is a really productive way to approach any collaborative work and benefits everyone.
Good relationships help keep everyone on board
A charity website often has a number of internal stakeholders that may feel marginalised or overlooked during a new project. As a result one of two things often happens.
- They fight their corner hard and force changes that compromise the overall vision of the project.
- They step back into the shadows, stay quiet but feel aggrieved. As a result that area of the charity's work suffers and the new project might miss something vital.
Neither of these two outcomes are good. But they happen. Probably more than you might think.
Good relationships, and importantly good communication is the key component in avoiding these damaging outcomes.
When we work with our clients we try to explain with reason and evidence why we are suggesting certain things.
This might be to do with design, user behaviour, key messaging or user experience. When we have a collaborative partnership, stakeholders are brought into the decision process naturally. Information, reasoning and explanation is more easily available and people are listened to and feel more valued.
This is the environment we want to work in. This is where exciting stuff happens.
So in conclusion, what can we take forward into 2022 and beyond?
Well first of all, we are determined more than ever to invest time and energy into building and strengthening relationships. To build on what we have already done and to re-commit it to our values and principles of the business.
Like most worthwhile things, it takes time, effort and patience. This is time that is never wasted and the results, (although perhaps not instant) have long lasting benefits for all.
Wishing you a very happy and productive 2022.
