This blog post is Human-Centered Content: Written by humans for humans.
At the start of this year, I changed roles at InterWorks from technical enablement to sales. On the surface, the move seemed like it would be a big change, going from teaching how to build meaningful data visualizations and dashboarding best practices into a pure revenue-generating position almost overnight. But what struck me most was how similar the two roles actually are.
Both require communication. Both require listening. Both require standing in front of clients, asking questions, learning pain points, understanding where we can provide the most value, and ultimately shaping the future paths for successful long-term data and analytics or even IT strategies. At the core, both jobs are about people.
In a world where technological shifts are now in intervals of seconds, it’s quite refreshing to know that our mission remains constant at InterWorks. We want to have the best people, doing the best work, for the best clients. Truly, we seek to partner rather than provide. We seek to connect as a means to consult. We strive to build trust. In doing so, we will not only help clients evolve, transition, migrate, upgrade and endure, but we’ll have an equal part in the ownership of the outcomes.
And that’s why I believe client relationships are what matter most to our success at InterWorks. As consultants, if we can’t bring value to the table and deliver competitive advantage to our clients, then we’re expendable. When we bring our collective expertise combined with a unique conviction of always wanting to exceed each client’s expectations, then you’ve got the magic formula that becomes our differentiator.
Power in Being Present
InterWorks celebrated 25 years of being in business not too long ago. Our framework has been grounded on solving challenges, building credibility and being dependable. But I’ve also seen firsthand this unspeakable power of being truly present with clients in our time together. This is why we promote high touch points but only when there’s quality behind the interactions. We’ll go visit clients in person over a meal or drinks just to minimize distractions and maximize one-on-one time while together.
While You’re Here
It may surprise you, but one of our favorite things to hear is “While you’re here…” Of course, we love the praise our consultants get from our clients at the end of projects. And for me in sales, I love it when a new lead comes from a referral because a client shares their satisfaction externally with someone else. But through regular client check-ins, we’re not just evaluating progress toward goal or target. We’re keeping communication streams open and ongoing in hopes of hearing those favorite words of ours. And in turn, that may lead to us saying our favorite thing in return: “Yes we can.”
Relationships Are Work
In order to be good at something, you have to practice. Practice means progress. The same holds true in communications with clients. More time spent together directly equates to a better understanding our clients. Not just about the broad issues or known problems, but personal pain points, too. I want to know each individual and what matters most to them. In doing so, we deepen our ability to deliver custom outcomes that have the biggest possible impact.
People Buy From People
Buying decisions are subconsciously grounded in emotion. People most often make purchases based on feelings such as joy and pain. In the 1993 book Endless Referrals, Bob Burg wrote “People buy from people they know, like, and trust.” It’s important to recognize consumer psychology as an emotional driver in sales. Clients need reassurance you care and have conviction for the subject matter. This is why when we hire someone, we make sure they check a box that says “Hell yes” when sending an offer. We lead with passion and bring that to all of our client interactions.
Better, Together
At the end of the day, we know that our work isn’t about a deliverable. We’re in the business of creating partnerships. Those partnerships are grounded in lots of individual relationships that grow stronger with every conversation. Through those relationships, we build trust. The more trust, the more willing a client is to give their time. The more time together, the more intentionality is put toward a best resulting outcome. And the better the outcome, the more value received. This is Client 360. It’s our proven framework.
As you hopefully can gather, the sum of our collective client relationships is the first 25 years of success here at InterWorks. It’s also the foundation for the next 25 years as well. A future that is bright only because we care without being told to. We have smart, passionate people, who deliver great work consistently. We meet to build, grow and collaborate. To me, that’s the true differentiator in how we work. Want to chat more? Let’s grab a cup of Joe.
