Recently, our team spent some time coming up with a list of characteristics we like to see in our clients. Clients who have these characteristics are those we end up working the best with, for the longest and most mutually satisfying relationships. We may still work with clients who don’t match all of these traits, but when prospecting, this list helps us narrow down the types of companies and people we’re looking for.

Here’s the list — how do you measure up?

Our Perfect Customer:
1. Values relationships
2. Values strategic thinking
3. Is responsive
4. Trusts us
5. Is willing to pay us for our experience
6. Feels paying us is an investment in their success
7. Has happy, positive energy
8. Knows who they are
9. Is committed to their business
10. Is financially successful
11. Pays their bills on time
12. Is our intellectual peer
13. Is someone we respect
14. Is honest and truthful
15. Has integrity
16. Provides “perfect referrals”
17. Is a knowledgeable consumer of our services
18. Isn’t more important to us than we are to them
19. Provides us with an equal energy exchange
20. Is willing to pay our full fee, does not ask for discounts
21. Is a stakeholder or decision maker in the company
22. Trusts that we have their best interest at heart
23. Values time, both theirs and ours
24. Has us in mind as the choice for future additional services
25. Does not ask for spec work
26. Is appreciative
27. Does not involve us in their internal politics
28. Respects our work hours
29. Is open to learning and new ideas
30. Can remain calm under pressure
31. Has a sense of humor
32. Has realistic expectations about what can be achieved and by when
33. Is organized
34. Plans ahead
35. Is comfortable around us, and we can be ourselves around them
36. Likes us, and we like them
37. Is decisive
38. Is reliable
39. Is collaborative

Have you measured yourself or your customers/clients against a set of standards? Would a list like this work for you?

[tags]perfect customer, customers, customer characteristics, customer relationships, perfect clients[/tags]

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 pm and is filed under Business success. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.