Receiving a client’s brief is just the start. Providing an effective service demands an in-depth understanding of how the business actually operates and frank discussions with the client about any gaps between what it promises and the delivery.

More service providers are using unpaid interns to provide the extra quality and service clients demand while maintaining margins. The challenge is to manage them carefully enough so that client service standards don’t slip.

Clients increasingly want to see more flexible ways of working from service providers. A one-size-fits-all approach no longer works when clients’ business and operational structures are changing rapidly. This calls not only for changes in processes but cultural shifts as well.

It seems to me that too many organisations don’t attempt to define quality of service or communicate such standards to new and existing client relationship managers—let alone measure it. In most cases, I believe, it’s just ‘left to happen’. Setting standards for quality of service and monitoring their effectiveness must be taken seriously as it can be the making or breaking of client relationships.