“Listen to front line staff, what do they think irritates or annoys clients? Don’t work on the theory that clients will only talk to you if they have a problem,” Mr Hanselman added.
Communication
Another session at the Cisi conference looked at improving communication.
Leadership guru Christopher Jones-Warner spoke about communication principles and the importance of gaining a client's trust by adhering to them.
He demonstrated how important eye contact and shaking hands warmly can be in giving the client a good impression.
Also, when speaking to employees, offering genuine praise and listening empathetically can generate trust and empower them to create new ideas and projects for the team.
Mr Jones-Warner added: “The reason we have problems with communicating is because we assume a paradigm. I’m over here, you are over there, therefore we are separate and judgment is appropriate. As soon as you judge somebody you separate yourself from them.
“We are looking to communicate to connect, because when you connect with another human being, trust and rapport are available and given. What becomes possible far outweighs what you could achieve on your own.”
Ima Jackson-Obot is features writer at Financial Adviser
