by Anna Maza, Event Ambassador
Event organizing is about solutions, people and ideas. The people who run them know that no two events are alike, and strict rules get lost in the face of clients with complex requests, last-minute problems or fickle weather that takes everyone by surprise on the day of the event.
But nothing compares to the satisfaction in the soul of an organizer when the event has gone perfectly, and the client becomes a collaborator, even a long-term partner, because he has managed to feel the necessary trust. So, in event management, even if the people for whom you have to come up with solutions may seem demanding, they are, in reality, vital to the wider development of both you and your company.
The customer with complex demands and high expectations has become a leitmotiv in the lives of everyone who works with people, but we tend to believe that things don't have to be so complicated. The solution is always communication and how this is applied to each situation. Initially, the pressure may seem too great to work with a hard-to-please customer. But once you get through the experience, you will realize that he has actually brought you more advantages and benefits than you thought, while communicating with people who are easy to please can become a routine without challenges.
Although it may seem that a client asking you for impossible things will completely exhaust you, this experience will actually make you grow, in that you will have become more flexible and adaptable to their needs. These clients will demand so much from you that you will end up changing your personal communication techniques to accommodate their interests. And the more you communicate, the better you become. When faced with a complicated relationship with a client, you really only have two options: either become more flexible or withdraw. Given that the second option is not exactly a happy option to consider when communicating with clients, it is necessary to look for ways to improve your communication techniques. This way you can convey exactly what you intend and make yourself completely understood by your interlocutor.
In psychology, there is much discussion about the principle of mirrors, which goes something like this: the relationships established between people are a mirror reflection of their own person. In the case of a more demanding client, it is interesting to see what happens when we mirror their way of communicating, adjusting our tone of voice, vocabulary, perhaps even body language, to match theirs. In this way, the client comes to feel understood and appreciated by you, creating a favorable relationship between you.
In communication, perspective plays a major role: people's opinions are based on the experiences they have dealt with so far. By constantly relating to their level of knowledge and expertise, you will be able to understand the differences between your perspective and that of the customer and communicate better with them. In effect, you learn to be empathic.
However, in order to gain trust when negotiating with a complicated client, you will not be able to rely on feelings alone. Real facts and data will become your true friends, as they will help you strengthen your arguments and your value.
Patience can often be an event organizer's ally because by actively listening, you understand the message behind the words. Thus, you can deliver exactly that element that the contributor failed to express. Dealing with this type of customer can get you to the point where you want to give up and get out of trouble quickly. However, if you manage to hold your ground without giving up, you will come away from the experience with many personal development lessons that you have already learned. Besides, you didn't even have to pay for this coaching :)
Privind lucrurile din perspectiva clientului, devine evident faptul ca el isi doreste in primul rand sa fie inteles. Este necesar ca el sa simta ca nevoile lui au fost intelese si indeplinite si ca, intr-un final, solutia gasita este cea potrivita. In plus, va ajunge sa aiba incredere in tine, prin prisma eforturilor tale si a comunicarii voastre si va deveni un partener pe termen lung.
