With Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish new year) starting tonight, it's traditional to evaluate our behavior over the past year. One of the things we're encouraged to do is reach out to friends and family, and apologize for mistakes we have made. We have an extension of this ritual, where we go to a body of water and release our metaphorical sins with crumbs.
I have always taken this responsibility seriously, but never before have I thought to apply it to my business. Alyce Blum, CPC, ICF/iPEC encouraged me to reach out to my clients with a survey, to gauge satisfaction, ask openly and anonymously what they think of my design services, and how I can improve. I was in no way excited to try this. I had never done it before, and it felt vulnerable to ask them to use their time in this way.
So I started with one. And then three. And now, I'm sending it to all of my clients. What it has given me is not only much more insight into why my clients enjoy working with me, but also, it has helped me to see how they view me. Many of my clients have never met me, and yet, I talk to them weekly (sometimes daily). And while meeting with them all face to face is a goal I have for the future, knowing that I am serving them in the way that best works for them, today, has been a priceless insight.