In our industry, the best agencies go the extra mile and aim to exceed their clients (and their candidates) expectations from the first call to the last. We want all of our clients to be happy. We want them to love their new employee, rave about our service, and ideally, refer us to their friends and family. Satisfied clients are critical to an agency’s continued growth and success. But true customer satisfaction, not just happiness, comes only when your agency’s candidates, services and interactions exceed your customer’s expectations. Was the experience better than they 
thought it would be?
Deliberately setting and consistently managing a client’s expectations, early and often, is key to client satisfaction, and your agency’s success, but it’s not always easy. Even the seasoned placement professional can find it difficult to strike a balance between offering exceptional customer service and keeping client expectations in line. Whether you are a one-person show, just starting out, or you are a veteran with a bustling business, following these tried-and-true rules to manage client expectations will increase satisfaction levels and have a positive impact on your bottom line.
Be Selective
It can be tempting, especially early on, (or say, during a pandemic,) to take on any and every potential client. Don’t do it. Be selective on the clients you choose to dedicate your time to and reject those that aren’t a fit. Take the time to get to know your prospective clients before onboarding them. Listen closely, ask questions, and give them an opportunity to share their expectations of you, your service and their potential household employee.
Make it a rule to turn down the “know it all” clients, the “no one is ever good enough for our family” clients, the “are your fees negotiable” clients, the “well, my neighbors have someone who will do that” clients and those clients who you know, from the very first call, will be unhappy no matter how hard you work. Not everyone is going to be a fit for your agency – that’s really okay. Focus your talents on finding and supporting clients who are a match for your agency: namely, those who treat others with respect, who are invested in the process, who are open to guidance, and who can afford the service you and your candidates are offering. You can’t make a client who’s wrong for your service happy. Ever. Turning them away upfront will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Communicate Directly (And Often)
Placement professionals should excel at communication. They should take pride in the art of over-communication. The most successful ones make it a point to communicate with their clients directly and openly, addressing pre-existing assumptions and shaping their understanding of their services, from the very first call throughout the placement process. Take the time to deliberately address how long it will take to find a household employee through your agency, how many candidates they’re likely to receive, what’s expected of them throughout the placement process, and how much it all really costs (employee wages, taxes/payroll and your fees). Reiterate and reinforce this information in your client phone calls and emails, on your website and of course, in your Client Agreement.
At any given point in the placement process, your clients should be clear about the overall process and next steps. And if they’re not, being accessible and responding to their plea for support quickly is critical. And although it seems old-school, and it very well may be, pick up the phone as often as you email (or more) – I promise you; nothing soothes a client’s worried mind like hearing the confidence in your voice. Direct and swift communication reduces client confusion, lowers anxiety, and increases the likelihood of success: yours and theirs!
Don’t Say “Yes” to Every Request
The temptation to say “yes” to every client request is real. We want to try. We want to make our clients happy. But let’s be honest, there are things we simply can’t do, requests that are simply impossible to fulfill, no matter how hard we work. It’s critical that you, the placement professional, address unrealistic expectations promptly throughout the placement process. Many clients are realistic and reasonable upfront, but as they move through the process, and see what we can do, they continue to ask more and more of us. Managing these unrealistic expectations head-on is a must.
It’s totally okay to say “no” to unrealistic requests – we do it all the time. However, I’d encourage you to go beyond just simply saying “no.” Take the time to explain the why behind your thinking. Instead of “Oh no, we can’t do that” try “Wouldn’t it be great if it were that easy, but the reality of the market is X” or “I totally understand why that’s something you’d like, but here’s why it’s unlikely.” Remember, most of our clients don’t fully understand our industry; they don’t understand why a student wouldn’t want their split shift job, why paying employer taxes is their responsibility, why requiring candidates to speak Mandarin will adversely affect their search, or even why it’s unacceptable to expect their nanny to also do the heavy housekeeping (yes, we know you have “a neighbor whose nanny does both”…still not gonna happen). And with every soft “no” you deliver, offer an acceptable alternative solution – “here’s what families in your situation have done instead” – this approach reinforces that you’re the industry expert here to guide your client to success (and will make your life a whole lot more enjoyable too!).
Guide with Confidence
Anyone can find a nanny on their own; hop on a list-serve, post a job, and suddenly you’re a placement pro, right? WRONG. We’d all be out of business if this were the case. Our clients come to us to access specialized industry knowledge—knowledge they need to make the right hiring decision. As a top-notch placement professional you understand the nuances of your specific market, your candidates, and the in-home placement industry as a whole. Draw on this expertise, often, and early on, to guide your clients, advise them, and coach them to success.
You can, and will, consistently exceed your client’s expectations by offering honest feedback about pay rates and schedules, providing them sample questions to ensure their interviews go well, educating them on industry standards, including taxes, insurance and payroll, helping them craft a competitive offer and providing ongoing support even after hire. Ultimately, we all want the same outcome: a happy, long-lasting placement, and ensuring your clients understand you are the industry expert and that they should heed your guidance is paramount to everyone’s success.
After nearly 20 years in this industry, I can promise you this: managing your client’s expectations will result in increased satisfaction (theirs and yours), a happier workplace, and boosted revenues. It’s important to be choosey on who you take on as a client, practice open and honest communication (even when it’s not easy), nip unrealistic expectations right in the bud (it’s really okay to say “I’m sorry, I won’t be able to do that”), and draw on your industry expertise to ensure a successful outcome (it’s what they are paying us for, after all). While it takes more time, and little more effort upfront, I promise you it’s worth the extra effort. Pinky swear.
Jami is the President and co-owner of ABC Nannies & Domestics, Inc.—a full-service, boutique placement agency in Denver, Colorado. Jami has worked in the staffing and recruiting industry, in a variety of capacities, for nearly 18 years. She joined ABC Nannies in 2003 and has since spearheaded all divisions of the company, including backup care, temporary and long-term placements. In 2009, Jami joined the APNA Board and has since served as Conference Chair for the 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016 conferences, as Membership Chair and most recently as V.P.