3 myths about clients that PR pros should ignore

Client service is one of the best and the most challenging parts of what communicators do.

Whether you work as a freelancer, solo, in an agency or in-house—and regardless of whether your “client” is your leadership team, board or both—it isn’t easy.

Our jobs as communicators often combine with our roles as psychologists, because communication is about relationships. They are inseparable, and our relationship with our clients or leaders drives our success.

Still, we often make things more difficult than they have to be. Here are the three biggest myths about client service:

Client service myth No. 1: You’ll respond right away 24/7.

Clients don’t need an immediate response. What we do is important, but we aren’t a 911 call center.

What clients must understand:

You must adhere to those rules consistently: If you say you’ll respond to emails the same day, respond the same day, and if you say you won’t respond after 6 p.m., don’t respond after 6 p.m.

Then they will know what to expect and can trust you to follow through.