why clients come back – your list

[Grinner Hester]

my clients come back because they can’t get what I offer anywhere else.
I love story-telling, I’m good with graphics, I have the self-tenasity to never miss a deadline and I’m affordable.
They like the peace of mind of knowing the project is going to be the best it can be nefore even dropping it off. This is what they purchase from me.

[Marc Daniel villarin]

There are many many clients have their reason why they do come back, so far here are the comments I do here from them, reasoning why they do come back.

1. The people involved – Very knowledgeable and good in their expertise. Plus they are good-looking (hehe)

2. The Facilities – They compliment about how stylish, comfy, well equipped and relaxing the facilities are.

3. Budgets – Not making the client spend an Ungodly huge investment, to produce a well though work/

4. The receptionist – this needs a special place in the list I mean hey, they are the beautiful looking front lines of our industries.

5. Personality – I mean, even though the clients grind, we still do it with a smile.

https://www.youtube.com/user/marcdanielvillarin

Look on the Bright Side…

[Timothy J. allen]

I’m interested, Grinner. How would you would rank those things you listed? We know they are all important.

Do you think your clients would rank the order differently?

It’s easy to say to say that we hire someone for their expertise, but isn’t that’s a given? Why go to someone if we don’t think they can deliver? Cost is another easy thing to mention for clients. There are a number of reasons for this – I think one is that it seems easy to measure and compare among “vendors”.

Same service with cheaper price = “better”, right?. As we know, that’s never as simple as that equation because it’s as difficult to measure “service” as it seems easy to measure price.

[Grinner Hester]

I’m a romantic, man. Id so love to tell you that I am of the belief that my clients come to me because they think I’m a rightous dude.
This is why they tell their bosses where they want to go though.
I bill hours because I have adjusted many things to adhere to an ever-changing market. Most of these changes were not my idea but my requirement to stay afloat. dats da bare bones troof, man.
I have a rate thats impossible to ignore in this market, well below any other place with comparable gear and talent. I have an approach unlike any other. That confidence I mentioned earlier, I am still of the opinion, is key to success. Bottom line, at least for me is if I don’t know it, aint nobody else gonna believe it.
I’m no sales person. My clients are my sales team.

[Mike Cohen]

I would say:
1. Expertise – understanding the subject matter, solid database functionality and ease of making updates
2. Special services – we offer CME accreditation, conference planning, support
3. Pricing – this is more than just a low price – it is the value for the money
4. They want what we have – since we market our own products (books, DVDs) we have both clients(work for hire) and customers (commerce).

[Jason Sirotin]

1. Final Product
2. Trust
3. Price
4. Enjoys working with us
5. Felt like they were part of the creative process (They love that!)

Jason Sirotin
VP Business Development
ECG Productions

Main Website: http://www.ecgprod.com

Blog Sites:
http://www.ecgatlanta.com
http://www.ecgcommercials.com
http://www.ecgfilms.com
http://www.ecgeditorial.com
http://www.hdecg.com
www. ecggraphics.com

[Christopher Wright]

Jason has got my vote!
And I mirror his list!

Dual 2.5 G5, IO, Kona LH, IO, Medea Raid, UL4D, NVidia 6800, 4Gig RAM
Octocore 8 GB Ram, Radeon card, MBP, MXO
Windows XP Adobe Studio CS3, Vegas 8.0, Lightwave 9.2, Sound Forge 9, Acid Pro 6, Continuum 5, Boris Red 4, Combustion 2008, Sapphire Effects

[Timothy J. allen]

Jason’s addition of #5. “Felt like they were part of the creative process” is a great point!

In many cases, working with a video production team is considered the most creative part of someone’s job. It’s their chance to not only get a glimpse into the “mysterious” world of TV production, it’s a chance to contribute their expertise (knowledge of the subject) to the project.

Seeing that enthusiasm in clients is one of the main reasons why I chose not to go into news, but stick with production. When our team shows up, people are almost always happy to see us.

[Tim Kolb]

Hmmm…since I’m often grouchy, it can’t possibly be my pleasant demeanor…

…I’m not anywhere close to the lowest rates in my market (I might be the highest…not sure).

I rarely tell the client what they’re hoping to hear…so that can’t be it…

I guess I’d lay it out like this:

1. The real damn world truth about effective methods and techniques and honest projections about the budget they will require.

2. I will argue with the client if I believe they are making a decision that will hurt them in the long run…even when it might mean I could lose the client if I lose the argument, or I may lose revenue if I win it…

3. 22 years of experience is worth paying for…

4. Less expensive/experienced/obstinate options often aren’t…

**Also, I think an important trait is that I have a wide variety of interests and pools of knowledge, which enables a level of intelligent decision-making in crafting messages that saves time and results in a far more effective product than might result from a vendor who’s knowledge mass may be somewhat confined to strictly their craft of video/audio/gfx, etc. In the end, the production that any of us do that isn’t strict entertainment, needs to accomplish something.

TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,

CPO, Digieffects

[Mark Suszko]

I can’t give a similar list because my situation is a little different from most of you.

My situation is all about the service, we have a base of essentially captive customers that can’t afford to take their business outside all that often. We are set up as a centralizied pool AV service for all the agencies, and our “thing” is to make effective, broadcast-quality com solutions that the clients could otherwise never afford to do using private industry suppliers.

My customer problems chiefly revolve about coordinating projects, managing expectations, communicating clearly with people who sometimes have little industry background, and acting as their translator and go-between.

I am the mediator that gives people what they need and want with the technology and budget we have. Personal relationships with these clients are very important, building their trust and helping them make the best decisions along the way when they are not familiar with the process. For those customers that are already up to speed, it is about the most efficient execution of their clear instructions, and being flexible and adaptable to their changing needs.

I’d like to list some blurbs related to service that I’ve had posted on my desk for many years. Got this on a greeting card made by those “motivational poster” guys, back when that stuff was new and not fodder for internet memes:-)

Anyway, I think these principles still ring true, I act as if they are true:

-It costs six times more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an old one. (A corollary to this is, we never have to advertise our services due to word-of mouth and reputation)

-A typical dissatisfied customer will tell 8-10 people about their problem. (I know that I do this as a consumer)

-Seven of ten complaining customers will do business with you AGAIN, if you resolve the complaint in their favor.

-If you resolve a complaint on the spot, 95% will do business again. (This to me suggest that, unless the customer is a known “grinder”, smoothing over some situations by applying generous, calculated “discounts” or added-value “comps” is an investment, not an expense.)

-Of those customers who quit, 68% do so because of an attitude of indifference by the company or a specific individual.

How I use those last principles is, if somebody has messed up a project, I will just out and out fess up that mistakes were made, then I tell the client they will not have to face any more run-around: that from here on until this problem is solved to their satisfaction, I am PERSONALLY going to handle this matter for them, I will report to them precisely at such-and-such time… and it is amazing how that little statement of accountability so often deflates a potential explosion.

I know that the thing I hate most as a consumer is being volleyed back and forth between many people, playing phone tage and email tag, none of whom will accept “ownership” of the problem. I don’t care who should get blamed, I just want somebody to step up and fix it. I think owning the problem and committing to handling it personally really defuses many bad situations after the initial awkwardness. Customers then judge you by how well you handle the issue, how well you advocate for them.

Sometimes, you can’t do much, some situations are beyond a repair. But even then, being timely, clear and up-front with the information, offering options and alternatives or make-goods, or at the very least admitting what went wrong and showing what steps you’re taking to never have that happen again… these things offer closure to the problem. They show the customer you are not lying or hiding from them, that you respect their time and trouble. That you are human, people sometimes make mistakes, but that we’re committed to doing the best we can. They make a statement about your commitment to excellence and your personal honor, and the honor of your organization.

People can respect that. And I think they respond to it with return business. That’s been my experience.