Ten stars
What would a ten-star client experience look like?
Principles
Say what you mean.
Do what you say.
Be proactive not reactive.
Client expectations are not a target but a lower bound.
Interrogate requirements and constraints.
Do not improve what can be removed or simplified.
Move with urgency. Speed creates information and momentum.
The intersection of good, fast and cheap goes far.
Take absolute responsibility for the end result. Clients reward what not how.
The audience is the algorithm.
Do it now. Urgent.
Questions
How can we simplify?
How can we do this better?
How can we do this faster?
What would this look like if it were easy?
Does the perceived constraint really exist?
How can we make this easier for the client?
How can we deliver delight to the client?
If we were doing this 1000 times, what would we change?
Communication
Truthful
Do not let the customer wonder what’s next
Set clear expectations. Make things explicit.
A lack of communication is a lack of performance
Every conversation deserves a follow-up. Do not require clients to rely on their memory. Make life easy. Misunderstandings are our fault.
More information is not better without tools of interpretation. Volume reduces the cognitive valence of each unit of information. Quality communication is simple and effective, demonstrating discernment.
Misunderstandings are our fault.