Do You Make House Calls?

Make House Calls:

Potential clients feel more comfortable in their offices than in my office, no matter how plush. So it is a good idea to meet them in their office whenever possible. When meeting anywhere else, they tend not to reveal their whole hand.

I understand why some consultants prefer to meet in their own offices -- it increases efficiency. But what I lose in efficiency, I gain in trust and strong connections. I also get to speak to all managers, executives and some employees if necessary -- something that does not always happen if I were holding meetings in my office. If others in the organization see me in action and give positive reports to the owner or other person-in-charge, I have a better chance of acquiring them as a client down the road because they trust me.

Comments

[Michelle Farris]

I often make house calls for estate planning and guardianship clients. Often, my clients are elderly or infirm, and cannot make it to my office. I have a client who lives in my neighborhood, and who LOVES it when I drop by with papers, or pick documents up from her to save her a trip to my office. Families with two working parents often find that it's hard to meet at my office during the day, and like when I come to them to save them babysitting hassles. Overall, I find home visits to be very positive. Of course, I do a "gut check" first to make sure that I feel comfortable going to a client's home. And my husband always knows where I'm going, and I bring my cell phone.

[annette]

Oh I think this is such an interesting one! I always make house calls. Apart from the reasons cited above, if I'm consulting or coaching, it allows me to see my client in action. Also, the "space" the client makes for our work in their work setting tells me a lot about how they view our work together...really interesting stuff