How can you learn about a client's culture before starting a project?

To learn about a client's culture before starting a project, conduct thorough research on the company's history, mission, and values, and analyze their online presence, including reviews and testimonials. Connect with current or former employees for insights, attend industry events, and request a pre-project meeting to discuss working styles and expectations. Review past projects, be mindful of communication styles, and ask direct questions about the client's values and decision-making processes. This comprehensive approach will help you align your work and communication with the client's culture, fostering a more successful collaboration.

A cos' culture can be studied in various formal and informal ways. The typical sources include - the co website, management reports , any public materials on the Internet - social media included Informal routes may include reaching out to current and former employees, competition , customers, suppliers and other business partners, public websites such as glassdoor etc. if there is access to any past employee surveys is available, they too are good sources of information.

El principal punto de partida, se ubica en el conocimiento de su web y redes sociales, es decir, lo que ellos quieren transmitir al exterior sobre su cultura y valores. Este paso es clave, a partir de ahí, podremos empezar a detectar cómo es ese clima, sobre el cuál poder trabajar, con el objetivo de ser más eficientes en las relaciones con ellos.

Review their website and social media. Conduct interviews and surveys. Observe their behavior and interactions. Be the first to add your personal experience. Ask for feedback and validation. ...

Start by a thorough research on the company's website, studying mission statements, values, and any available organizational documents and engage in social media monitoring to grasp the company's public image and employee interactions. Moreover, attend industry events where the client may be represented, and leverage professional networks for insider insights.

Talking to people on the ground is key to building an understanding of organizational culture. One of my favorite questions to ask is „What is something that could only happen here?“ It’s always interesting and insightful to hear people’s thoughts on the way things are done at their company.

Be wary of people adapting their behaviours under the hawthorn effect as they know they are being watched. Sometimes what isn't said can be as useful as what is said.

Check out glass door comments and online forums. They do need to be taken with a pinch of salt but they can often show you worst case scenarios. It's then about working out whether they are the exception or the rule.

The absolute best way in my experience is to not rely merely on interviews the client sets up, not to rely on scheduled observations in the office (hawthorne effect), nor doing a check on official online sites. Rather, adopting a “mystery customer” strategy really adds a whole lot of color and nuance to understanding the culture. If its a restaurant chain, eat at a branch and talk to the waiters. If its a bank, go to a site, apply for an account and do your observation. All WITHOUT saying youre a paid consultant. This amazingly effective in getting to the real culture