10 lessons I learned from The Art of Client Service by Robert Solomon

Especially if you or the client do not have a clear idea of what is being delivered.

When providing products or services to customers, it's always useful to understand what success looks like.

After you create something, ask yourself if it aligns with the success outcomes the client desires and then ask yourself 'so what'

Good work is the enemy of great work

Sometimes there's a few different ways to do something (a deliverable). What's the right number to present? Likely 3. This gives the client (could be a customer, your boss, an executive) a choice but not too many options. But more importantly, it helps with the buy-in of the approach.

When Robert had a client in New York (he was based in Boston), he flew to New York frequently to meet with the client. Even on weeks when he wasn't needed in New York, he would fly there and meet up with the client, hang around their offices, absorb the culture and language. When it came time to renew the contract, the New York client said that he saw him more than other New York-based agencies.

You never know what gets misunderstood or misinterpreted. You might agree to next steps and decisions at a meeting but at the next meeting, see that the client wants something else. That's why following up is critical to making sure everyone is on the same page.

When Robert says don't sell, he means don't push things onto clients. He wants clients to buy great work. Why? Great work has a certain element of risk with it. And when clients buy great work, they're taking on that risk because they trust the agency. If you push work onto clients, they might buy, but they will lose trust in the agency.