Establish One Line Of Communication
On any project, designate one person as the customer’s primary contact. Alissa Thompson, vice president of Cornerstone Managing Partners, a construction management company, says, “One of the most frustrating things for a client is not knowing who to contact or having something they told one person not be shared with someone else. There are typically several people involved on a project and by choosing one point of contact, you avoid any miscommunications between yourself and the client.”
Street adds, “I write into my contract that all communication regarding the job should go through me directly and not through my employees or subcontractors. This is a very important point because sometimes clients may speak to an employee about additional work or a change but it never gets communicated to you. The easiest thing is to give the client one point of contact that is responsible for handling all of their concerns, whether that is you or someone else that you designate.”
