Rethinking how we engage with clients digitally

In the world of digital business, closing deals and making profit isn't always the be all and end all. A lot of the time, the focus is on forging and nurturing client relationships, and working collaboratively on projects that benefit both parties.

You might think that a few after-work drinks with a client is the glue that holds your relationship together - and there is a place for corporate pleasantries - but, nine times out of ten, clients value a seamless working process over anything else.

One of the biggest barriers to this seamless process is often overlooked: the clutter of multiple apps and software. Consider how many applications your business uses on a day-to-day basis to function, and the challenges your company faces when implementing new tools. Now, apply those same challenges to your client who isn't familiar with your tools and is forced to adapt - that doesn't seem like a simple, seamless process.

In this digital age, it's time to rethink how we engage with our clients, and how we use technology and tools to collaborate and get the job done. There is a better way.

Identifying the problem

Most businesses aren't completely aware of how many digital tools they're across each day.

Picture this.

You're working on a brand new marketing campaign and creating an online quiz with your client. You've brainstormed in a recent meeting and come up with a brilliant idea. The catch is, it'll require a minor change to their website which is currently managed by a third party supplier, and you'll need to organise new artwork from a contracted designer.

Because these individual actions call for engagement with a number of tools, in actuality this seemingly simple task now requires your client to:

• use DropBox to download and review illustrations
• communicate feedback and changes via a chain of emails
• use OneDrive for website content and a CMS for proofing changes
• refer back to Google Drive for campaign files
• review links to Hubspot drafts and a third party app for the quiz

As you can see, there are a few digital hoops for the client to jump through before they receive the final product.

But we need apps to get the job done - what now?

Of course, each application you're utilising might be a necessary part of the process. You've assessed your options, a third party quiz app is the best platform currently available, your CRM is fully implemented and has proven to help you track the campaign progress - so where's the wiggle room to smooth out the process for your client?

Some of these apps are necessary in isolation, however with nothing to tie them all together, your client is left with a slew of emails, phone calls, text messages, and meetings to make sense of the process. This is the part that potentially damages your client relationship, and makes the journey bumpier than need be.

If you can't lose the apps for your client's benefit, you need a single platform to pull all of these functions together and create a centralised process.

The solution

PIQNIC provides a single platform that brings your information together in one centralised space, including:

• information
• documents & files
• ideas
• communications
• people
• workflows
• decisions
• approval processes

You're able to use all of the required third party specialty tools and collaborate seamlessly with your client, as every element of the work is aggregated in one place.

One source of truth, one place for information - a dream collaborative space for companies and their clients alike.

Bringing people together

Of course, it's not simple applications and files that need to be integrated and collated in one place in order for things to run smoothly - it's also about the people involved.

If your client is working with multiple agencies, and the completion of a task is codependent, why not bring all of the collaborators together in one space? PIQNIC breaks down the walls and nurtures a fully secure and transparent environment, so work can be completed at pace.

A smooth, collaborative process means a happy client - and that's a win win for everyone involved.

Interested in finding out how PIQNIC could help your business? Download our FREE guide below.