There's a simple rule in the agency world: Satisfied clients mean more orders - and therefore a profitable agency. But what really makes clients happy? Not only projects that achieve their goals, but also transparent and open communication.
Client advisors and project managers are the most important interface between clients and internal teams. They must ensure that projects run smoothly, that all requirements are met and that customers know the status at all times**. Those who rely on well-organised, structured and proactive communication are not only perceived as a reliable agency - but also as a valuable strategic partner.
In this article, we'll show you how:
✅ How to set clear expectations and make sure everyone is on the same page
✅ Why regular updates & transparent processes are essential
✅ How to proactively engage customers - without unnecessary meetings
✅ How to handle conflict situations with confidence
And best of all: with awork you can easily integrate your customers into the communication process - and save yourself endless emails and coordination meetings.
Expectation management: the key to a successful project
Expectation management
The most common cause of dissatisfied customers is usually not the quality of the work, but unfulfilled expectations. Therefore, make sure right at the start of a project that everyone involved has the same understanding of the goals, working methods and success criteria.
Checklist for clear expectation management:
✅ What are the customer's most important goals?
- Relevant KPIs: more leads, better conversion rates, faster time to market
- Internal requirements: e.g. well-prepared results for own presentations within the company
- Process goals: A stress-free, efficient workflow without long coordination loops
✅ How often & via which channels do customers want updates?
✅ What budget or scope limits are there that must not be exceeded?
After the project briefing, it helps to create a written debriefing with the most important findings and agree them with the customer. This ensures that everyone is on the same wavelength, misunderstandings are ruled out and the project starts in the desired direction.
Spontaneous customer enquiries: respond immediately or prioritise clearly?
Customers tend to want spontaneous requests or changes implemented quickly - after all, they don't know what's going on in the agency team. Without prior consultation, however, this can lead to chaos.
👉 Clear expectation management helps here:
When & how are spontaneous enquiries processed?
💬 Communicate early on:
- Same-Day-Delivery? Only if it is realistically feasible - otherwise talk honestly about timing.
- Introduce a prioritisation system: Mini requests (e.g. text changes) can run faster, larger requests must be included in the backlog.
- Create transparency about capacities:
- ‘We'd be happy to make the adjustment - is it okay if we schedule it for next week?’
- ‘Is there a deadline? Then we'll prioritise the tasks accordingly.’
You can find out how best to deal with spontaneous customer enquiries and other typical agency scenarios in our 4D planning method, developed for the real demands of everyday agency work.
What makes a satisfied customer?
Satisfaction in project management is based on two pillars:
- The agreed goals are achieved - measurable through KPIs
- The collaboration is efficient & pleasant
Even if the expected result is achieved in the end, a stressful or chaotic process can lead to customers looking for another agency next time.
That's why it's not enough just to deliver - it's about making the entire process transparent, efficient and based on partnership.
The project status: the most important information for customers
Project status updates
No matter what industry: customers want to know where their project currently stands If status updates are missing, uncertainty arises - and uncertainty quickly leads to dissatisfaction.
But regular updates don't have to mean constantly scheduling meetings or writing long emails. Instead, you can give customers the opportunity to view the project status themselves at any time.
💡 awork tip: Use awork Connect to give clients direct insight into their project:
✅ Live status of the project can be viewed at any time
✅ Project timeline & milestones displayed transparently
✅ Less unnecessary queries by email or phone
You're unsure whether you want to integrate customers into your planning?
Sure, at first it's unfamiliar to let customers take a live look at your own project organisation. But that's exactly what professionalism & structure proves. If everything is well organised, it not only strengthens trust, but also shows the customer: "Our agency has everything under control. ’
And don't worry - you decide which data is visible. If certain internal information is not intended for customers, you can simply hide it.
And what about personal contact?
Of course, this remains important! Project updates by phone or email are still useful - but additional transparent integration can reduce the effort for both sides.
When and how should you communicate with customers?
When and how to communicate
👉 The rule of thumb: The earlier you inform, the better.
Proactive communication is particularly important in the following situations:
📍 Milestones & shoulder checks
- When is the next project phase due for review?
- When do final approvals need to be given?
⚠️ Changes & delays
- Inform immediately if a planned step cannot be realised.
- Explain why this is happening - and at best present a solution right away!
Examples from practice:
📢 An ads campaign launch is delayed because a customer is delaying internal approvals: Instead of just pointing this out, you could suggest a quicker workaround straight away.
📢 A design draft is overturned by the client team: Ask about the exact pain points and make alternative suggestions to make a new approval process more efficient.
Use automatic status updates in awork Connect to keep clients up to date at all times.
Not only inform customers, but actively involve them
Involve your customers
Many customers don't just want to see results, they want to be perceived as part of the process. If you actively ask questions or proactively suggest new ideas, you strengthen your position as an important consultant.
Three ways to better integrate customers:
✅ Use approval loops in awork to get direct feedback
✅ Proactively suggest ideas - e.g. address upselling potential for new campaigns
✅ Use awork Connect as a shared workflow to easily involve customers
This way, you are perceived as a strategic partner instead of just a service provider.
Dissatisfied customers? How to deal with conflict situations
Dealing with dissatisfied customers
Despite the best communication, it can happen that customers are dissatisfied. In such cases, you should not react defensively, but act in a solution-orientated manner.
3-step plan for confident conflict resolution:
🔍 Inquire carefully: What exactly is the problem & why? What expectations were not met?
🛠️ Solution instead of blame: ‘How can we solve this together quickly & effectively?’
🔄 Learnings for the future: Suggest workshops or process adjustments to avoid similar cases in the future.
After critical phases, it is a good idea to conduct another clear debriefing to ensure that all learnings are recorded.
Conclusion: Communication as the key to long-term success
Conclusion
Proactive, transparent communication with customers is your strongest weapon against dissatisfaction and project chaos. If you focus on clear expectations, continuous updates & active involvement, you will not only be valued as an agency, but also as an indispensable strategic partner.
💡 With awork, you can integrate your clients into your project processes - efficiently, transparently and stress-free.
👉 Try awork now for free & optimise your client communication!
