Interactions with foreign clients

In today’s world of globalisation, interaction with clients across the globe is inevitable. This is true especially in the IT industry. Communication with the clients can take place over various means, like:

• Emails

• Conference calls

• Telephone calls

• Chats

• Face to face meetings

Certain measures should be followed to effectively communicate with the client:

Email

Email is an efficient means of communication especially when the clients belong to different time zones. All the concerned parties should be kept in the loop when mailing the client. The email content should be concise, to the point, easily understandable and free from any ambiguity. Proof reading of the email should be done before sending it. Emails should be sent with a single-line subject so that the client gets a clear idea of the mail. Make use of proper salutations. Mailboxes should be regularly sorted and all the mail conversations to/from a particular client should be moved in separate folders for easy reference in future.

Conference calls

It is important to send a meeting invite/reminder to the client beforehand to remind everyone involved about the call. The meeting agenda is to be prepared before starting the call to avoid skipping any points. Assumptions to the statements that are not clearly understood should be avoided. New members attending the meeting should always be introduced at the very start of the call. Do not expect all your foreign clients to be fluent in English. Foreign clients also find it difficult to understand our accent, so talk slowly and clearly. In case you want to interact with your team during the ongoing meeting, the call should be put on mute mode. Make sure to dress appropriately for video conferences. Making disturbing sounds during the meeting like slurping of coffee, pen-clicking, murmuring between the teammates should be strictly avoided. Keep all the content ready beforehand to avoid panic situations during the call. Show interest in the communication by asking questions whenever required. Over questioning the client should also be avoided. Topics which are not understood during the meeting should be pointed out and later cleared by mailing the client. Do not make culturally insensitive remarks. Avoid speaking about political and religious issues. Be attentive to your clients comments.

Phone Calls

Phone calls can be made, in case of projects with tight deadlines, to avoid time wastage. Always start the conversation by greeting the client and introducing yourself. The client’s privacy should be respected, so before calling always ask your client whether it is the right time to talk to them. Do not speak in fake accent. Speak clearly and to the point. When holding or transferring the call make a kind request. Always follow up the phone call with an email detailing the points discussed.

Chats

As you are interacting with your client, chats should also be formal. Avoid sending non-work related content. Do not use short forms or slang.

Face to face meetings

Prepare meeting agenda beforehand. Be dressed in proper formal attire. Sit upright and avoid making annoying sounds. Be present in the meeting hall much before the time. Greet the clients well. Show interest in the conversation, be a good listener and ask questions. Proper body language is very important when you are interacting with your client. Ask your clients for their feedback. Give your feedback but do not force them onto your clients. Control your speaking tone even if the interaction gets serious. If something is not possible, explain why it is not possible, do not bluntly say ‘This cannot be done’. Every client interaction should be properly documented. Do not forget to send the meeting minutes after the meeting.

 

Shruti Kosambe