CHAPTER 12

MANAGEMENT
OF THE CLIENT
RELATIONSHIP
 Management of the Client / Consultant Relations

2 Key Relatiosnhips:

1. Relationship between the consultant and the problem-solving

process
2. Relationship between the consultant and the client
 THE CLIENT

● The organization that engages the services of the consultant

● The individual(s) with whom the consultant has the initial and/or
ongoing contracts

● Discusses the engagement and its process with the consultant

and, at completion, accepts the final report from the consultant
 Client may be:

▪ Higher-level managers

▪ Administrators of an enterprise

▪ Middle or lower-level managers

Harmonious Relationship with the
Client
is a requisite to the successful
conduct of the problem-solving
process

Harmonious Relationship is
Achieved Through:

1. Written Means
2. Oral Means
3. A round get-acquainted interviews
 Open-door
Policy
Welcoming the questions and
communications of anyone at
anytime
 CONFIDENCE
Occurs if the level of credibility suggests that expectations
will be achieved to a degree that satisfies concerns about
those outcomes not being achieved

CREDIBILITY
Comes from satisfying realistic expectations
 Creating Opportunities for Client Build-
up
A number of consultants could trace most of their current business to the following sources:

1. Business contact gains throughout the business community

2. Speeches in professional and business organizations
3. Books written from experience
4. Referrals from speeches, books and articles
5. Word-of-mouth referrals
 Suggestions on how business contacts
can be established and made to grow
1. Join at least 3 organizations that offer regular meetings and the opportunity to interact with peers in
the industry.
2. Create a reference library
3. Establish a circle of informal advisors
4. Establish collaborations with other consultants
5. Mail to clients items of interest
6. Mail to prospective client items of interest
7. Publish articles in relevant periodical
8. Offer probono work for community, government and non-profit organizations
9. Accept speaking engagements at trade associations and conferences
10. Create a website
11. Business listing in phonebook / yellow pages