ManyRequests is a client portal and client requests management software for creative services.
If you have a growing list of clients and are feeling overwhelmed, it’s natural.
Keeping track of every client, project, and sub-project can easily become unmanageable if you don’t have the right systems in place.
As your business grows, your systems (and organization methods) need to grow with it. If you’re not careful, you could easily get behind on answering emails, deadlines will start to sneak up on you, and important client information will start to slip through the cracks.
You can keep track of your clients, their files and invoices, emails, and important meetings with certain tips, tricks, and tools.
Let’s explore the possibilities together.
Why you should keep track of your clients
No matter which way you look at it, keeping track of your clients (and their information) is one of the most important aspects of running a business—and quality customer service. If you don’t do it right, you could end up looking unprofessional, or even lose a client.
This worst-case scenario happens a lot more often than you think. If a client doesn’t feel recognized or respected, they’ll want to work with someone else. In fact, a recent study by Forbes found that 96% of clients will leave a business or brand for bad customer service.
The best way to show your client that you respect them (and to keep your customer service in tip-top condition) is to keep a consistent record of all of their information. This includes:
- Organizing clients’ files in one, easy-to-use (and find) place
- Keeping on top of invoices, including when they’re sent out and their payment status
- Tracking all client communication: email, phone calls, text messages, and face-to-face meetings
- Utilizing online tools like CRMs, digital to-do lists, scheduling services, and more to manage your client relationships.
When you’re able to reference an important conversation that you had with a client weeks or months ago, it shows that you’re paying attention. It shows that they matter to you and your business.
And, remember: a loyal customer will lead to other loyal customers.
Managing client files
The easiest (and least expensive – it’s free!) way to manage client files is with G-Suite by Google. You can create written documents, slideshows, spreadsheets, and you can upload images, videos, or several other types of files directly onto your Google Drive.
Start by creating a specific folder for each client. You can then add other subfolders within the client’s folder to organize all of their information even further.
You can even use your Drive to create surveys and quizzes as well, which makes gathering client feedback easier than ever.
The other interesting aspect of using Google Drive is that all of the information is saved to the cloud. That means you can save space on your work computer, and you can access your Drive wherever you have an internet connection. You can also show your customer their folder (or anyone else on your team) through the use of link sharing.
ManyRequests goes one step further by automatically creating folders and subfolders for every project, and saves a fair amount of time for the project manager by linking files to requests—so that you always have an eye on the most important information (assigned employees, status, due date, priority).
Staying on top of client invoices
A growing client list means a growing list of invoices to stay on top of. More invoices are great for your business—but none of this matters if bills slip through the cracks. If you don’t keep track of your invoices, how can you expect your clients to pay them in a timely manner?
You can use a client portal software like ManyRequests to keep all of your invoice information in one convenient and attractive-looking place. Our client portals are completely customizable, and have a specific section for invoices:
You’ll be able to see all of your clients’ names, whether they have paid their invoices or not, how they paid, and when the invoice was created.
Your clients can use their portal to upload their brand assets and request deliverables (with deadlines) as well. You can also embed files that live in your Google Drive into your client portal. It’s a one-stop-shop for keeping track of client information!
Keeping track of client emails
Aim to organize emails as soon as they arrive in your inbox. Take advantage of the labels or filters features that most, if not all, email providers have available. You can automate your inbox so that when you receive communication from a certain person, it automatically lands in a client-specific folder.
This way, you’ll not only be able to stay on top of your customer emails, but you’ll also be able to keep your inbox organized and uncluttered. You’ll just need to be careful about checking each folder on a daily basis so that no message goes unanswered.
You can also choose to ditch traditional email altogether through the use of a client portal:
Rather than keeping track of a bunch of different email threads, you can keep your client communication within the portal. This will make keeping track of messages even easier!
Tools for client management
Now that you know the most important aspects of client management, let’s take a closer look at some tools that you can use to make your life (and your clients’ lives) easier!
Customer relationship management tools (CRM)
CRMs are a great way to keep track of your clients. They can help you turn sales leads into real customers, and enable you to track the client relationship from start to finish. These tools are also good for keeping track of contact information and for implementing a marketing strategy.
There are several different CRMs out there, so you’ll want to consider your needs and budget before you commit to one. Have a look at our list of best agency management tools.
Client portal software
Your customers will be able to easily access their invoices, files, reports, projects, task communications, and more with a client portal software like ManyRequests.
Plus, the portal is completely customizable and also features an onboarding process that you can create yourself. You can assign specific team members to specific clients too, which will help prevent anything from falling through the cracks.
The ability to integrate your Google Drive (and several other tools) is just the cherry on top.
Scheduling tools
Instead of going back and forth to determine your next meeting, you can use a scheduling tool. Create your account and input your availability. Most of these tools will allow you to enter both the days and the times that work best for you!
Once you’ve determined your availability, you can then send a link to your personal calendar to your client. They choose the best day and time, and you get a notification. You can also connect the tool to your calendar so that it updates automatically.
Summing up
Whether you choose to use one or many of the tools above, we offer several different ways to help you keep track of everything on your plate. Try out ManyRequests for free—and see for yourself how much you can accomplish with it.