Responding to clients via messaging is one of our experts' favorite features, because it enables experts to undertake a larger volume of engagements due to the greater flexibility compared to phone consultations. By handling each message professionally and efficiently, you increase your chances of repeat engagements and positive feedback. Here are some best practices to follow:
1) Respond Quickly
Timely responses are crucial to client satisfaction. Even if you can't answer right away, accepting the engagement indicates to the client that you will respond. A quick reply (within a few hours of the client request) helps clients move faster and receives positive client reviews, elevating your profile for future engagements.
2) Use Voice-to-Text
Synquery provides voice-to-text to make it easy for experts to answer questions and helps summarize and edit the responses to make your life easy. You'll have a chance to review the message before it's sent.
3) Ask for More Time When Needed
Some questions may require more time than clients expect to provide a quality answer. You can request more time as needed. However, the amount of time that clients expect you to take to answer a question is often an indicator of the depth of detail they are looking for. Clients can always send you another message if needed.
4) Be Comfortable with Ambiguity
Just like phone consultations, sometimes clients ask for your opinion rather than a definitive answer. That’s okay—clients often seek your expertise to help navigate these unknowns. When providing an answer that involves speculation, clearly state the assumptions or context on which your response is based.
Tip: For example, you might say, “Based on my experience in this sector, I would guess that X is likely, but this is contingent on factors like Y and Z.”
5) Consider Confidentiality Obligations
Always be mindful of any confidentiality obligations you have, whether due to current employment, previous roles, or industry regulations. When client questions touch on information you cannot discuss or are uncomfortable discussing, answer at an industry-wide level if appropriate or decline to answer and let a team member at Synquery know your limitations.
By following these best practices, you’ll receive positive reviews from clients and thus more engagements.