How do you talk to software clients?

These things always work for me: - You should listen and observe them. - You should ask them their preference on how they want to communicate. - After every call you should summarize things in written.

To effectively work with software clients. You would need to understand what your client's preferred choice of communication platform would be, It would help if you had a reliable source of communication that you could suggest where a group or team of people could contribute to each other's thoughts and others can be able to join a call. For example, I use internal software at work to connect with my clients externally and also use communication platforms such as Slack to talk to my internal clients.

Technology is often just a means to an end for business and as much as we want to, clients may not share our love for it. A great way to port technical jargon to a language they appreciate is to use analogies from their world. This puts across two points, that you understand their world and also that you're proceeding in a logical way in your domain just as they do in theirs.

- If your client is from a coding background then communicate with them by using the problem statement and explain them in technical terms. - But if they belong to a non-technical background then try to simplify the problem statement and break it into multiple statements and explain to them why, and how. Confirm if they understood or not in this case I prefer to use written communication apart from verbal too.

Half of the problem will be solved by actively listening. - Try to understand their problem. - Consider yourself at their position and give suggestions based on that. - Ask them to validate how they feel about the solution you have provided. This will help them to gain trust in you.

I think setting expectations clears half of the issues. You should always communicate about your expectations and also their expectations. This helps in building trust. - I always ask for feedback from my team member, from my client. - I take feedback based on what to improve, what things I am doing good, and what their short-term goal is for me. - I also give feedback if asked about the same. - I also keep clients informed about what I like and what not, and we both can work on it. - I make sure to be consistent, I work on improvement, and also take ownership of my short-term goal.

The best to learn is by accepting negative feedback and working on it. Trust me it will help you to be a better version of yourself. - Always show gratitude for positive feedback. - Work on negative feedback to become a better version of yourself. You should give honest constructive feedback to clients if they ask you. Constructive feedback means saying negative things in positive manner.

I received this advice from my senior: - It's essential not to take things personally, as our personal and professional lives are separate. - Always strive to maintain professionalism in your interactions. - When conveying a message, do so politely and respectfully. - If a client does something positive for you, don't hesitate to express your appreciation. - If you encounter a challenging situation, try to address it in a constructive manner. Remember what you give is what you recive.

Acknowledge and comprehend: While it's most important to have enough patience to let your clients share their thoughts and understanding with you, it's equally important to comprehend what you have understood once they complete their explanation. It gives them sense of trust that they are being heard and we understand their business problems and we will be able to solve it as well.