Read these 5 How to Impress Clients Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about ERP Jobs tips and hundreds of other topics.
When starting an ERP implementation job make sure you understand exactly what your client wants and needs. You can save a lot of the client's money by making sure the installation of the chosen software runs as smoothly as possible. There are many things that you can do in your ERP implementation job that will make positive impressions on your client.
Part of making sure the installation runs smoothly is having good communication skills. You will impress your client if your communication skills are up to par. You are expected to update the client throughout the installation. If you update the client on a daily basis and go over solutions to complex issues with him, you will impress upon him your confidence that he has chosen the proper software for his needs.
Impressing clients with any ERP job can be a matter of showing professionalism and confidence in your skills. Professionalism includes dressing for success and presenting yourself in a charismatic, confident manner. If you don't know an answer to a question, tell the client that you will get back to him with an answer—do not try to pass off a fluff response because you may be wrong.
Showing confidence when asked to do something different or new can also impress clients; this shows that you are not hesitant to try to figure out a solution to an issue the client may have with his or her software package. When you are able to figure out a solution for a particularly complex issue, you not only show a client your experience, but you show the client that you care for and enjoy your job.
As an ERP consultant, you should be ready to impress not only your boss, but your boss's clients, too. You can impress by showing leadership qualities, professionalism and technical experience in the area in which you specialize. Those qualities that show leadership skills iclude leading an outside-work group such as boy scouts/girl scouts, a church group or a discussion group online.
The number of years of experience you have can be impressive, but for those who do not have many years, detailed, hands-on operational involvement is very impressive. If your area of specialty lies in finance and accounting, make sure you have experience in using a number of tools (such as Oracle and Hyperion). Make sure the tools are focused on your area of expertise, whether it's quote to cash, manufacturing and/or functional architecture.
As an ERP project manager, one of your jobs is to make a great impression on the client. In addition to your ERP project manager job duties such as making sure the project runs smoothly, you must also make the client want to come back for more. This may not be as simple as it sounds, as the client already has high expectations of you as a project manager.
Communication skills are pertinent in an ERP project manager job. Not only must you be able to communicate technical issues to the team and your supervisors, but you must also be able to communicate with the client. You must understand what the client needs and be able to explain certain processes. If a process is taking extra time, you will need to be able to explain to the client—in terms he can understand—what the problem is and how long it will take for the problem to be resolved.
An ERP project manager's job is not only to work with the software and his coworkers, but to also make a good impression on the client. If you are an ERP project manager, impress your client by keeping the project running smoothly and making sure the lines of communication stay open.
Lines of communication are important among team members, consultants and the client. The client should be made to feel like he did not make a mistake in his choice of software and the company that implements the software. If a particularly difficult issue arises, the ERP project manager should alert the client of a possible delay—even if it is only a few hours. When the project gets completed on time, the client will not only be happy, but impressed with your skills as an ERP project manager.
Guru Spotlight |
Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |