Insights   |  Best Practices   |  Client relationship

The importance of
an honest relationship

Why it's key to
achieving great results.

Jason talks about what he believes makes for a lasting relationship...

Characters

I have met plenty of people over the years in the design industry, there are many different types of characters. Some you get along with, some simply will never get along, but there is one thing that rings true even for those that fundamentally clash which is if your honest about what you are doing,  professional in how you carry it out & have the same goals then between you, you should be able to pull off anything.

I always worried when I first came from the print factory floor into the World of branding & design, because I am Cockney, a bit outspoken, very straight talking & not afraid to show enthusiasm & passion for the industry. I sport a few tattoos (before every Tom Dick & Harry got one along with their hipster beard & tub of Humus) & position or title always unimpressed me.

I found however that many found me to be a breath of fresh air as all too often people talk themselves up yet have little substance to back it up. I have never done that, my way of working is simply, decide what the plan is, stick to it, get your head down & smash it out the park, on time on budget & beyond expectation. Too many freelancers say they can do this or that, or take credit for other peoples endeavours & they tend to get seen as often whoever shouts the loudest gets seen first. Unfortunately, the loudest isn't always the best in my experience, you only hear me shout if I stub my little toe.

Honesty

Another thing I believe in is being totally honest about things from the outset, there is no point in sugarcoating the truth a client will always spot a fib. I believe in treating others how you would like to be treated & I strongly believe in, if you promise something you should do your very best to bring that promise to realisation.

If you can't do something in 3 days, tell your client how long you actually need & why. More often than not the client's client has set an unachievable target date or your client does not realise how long it takes to do a particular task there is nothing wrong with pushing back & saying "actually it can't be done but what I can do in that time is this or that" I always give the best & worst case scenario & options to my clients in cases such as this. Something account handlers & project managers might want to remember when saying yes to every client demand before they check if it's actually doable.

As a supplier, I always give my best, go above & beyond what is expected & treat my clients like valued friends. I strive to give them value for money, quality & consistency across the board & educate & influence where I can.

Expectations

All I expect from my clients in return is equal determination for perfection, a thirst for creativity an eye for detail & payment in full & on time not to mention to trust that they are going receive the best service money can provide by using us at Two Smoking Barrels.

Respect

Ultimately if you have a mutual respect for one & other, the work you are doing & the goals you are striving to achieve then you are on the road to success. Respect has to be earned obviously & trust isn't something that happens overnight however if you check out our client testimonials you will see our existing clients trust us implicably so why not give us a shot.