The importance of Human Relationships in IT

As workers and businesses become fully remote, it’s more important than ever to be responsive, approachable and able to explain complex issues and processes in human terms. Placing a high value on communication is important because IT can be a complicated and unapproachable area. It’s crucial that IT companies communicate openly with their customers to maintain a mutual flow of understanding between both parties.

Our goal is to bring that human aspect back into business and “provide exemplary communication,” as one of our clients put it. We understand the frustration of dealing with technology while trying to run a company, which is why we often say, “We do IT, you do your business!”

Building and Maintaining Relationships with Clients

Having a good relationship between IT companies and their customers is helpful for several reasons. Here a few examples why:

• • Trust on both ends
  • Open-ended communication
  • Collaborative partnership
  • Mutual understanding

Once trust is established between an IT company and a customer, the relationship will most likely last throughout multiple projects over time. A cohesive partnership is beneficial to both ends, saving time, money and resources for everyone involved.

We know that our clients’ companies are extremely important to them, which is why we keep multiple lines of communication open. It’s important for us to form strong relationships with our clients so that we get to know each other and work together to find the best solution for their IT needs!

Don’t Forget your Employee Relationships

While mentioning company culture in an article about client relationships may seem superfluous, having a supportive environment plays a key role. Employees that feel empowered in their role will feel self-assured and excited to speak with clients. They’ll be able to confidently explain company capabilities and IT solutions. Open communication isn’t just an important factor in client relationships – it should be practiced within the IT company internally. A supportive and cohesive culture is the best way for employees to feel comfortable and at their best to help their clients.

Here at Westmount Solutions, we highly value employee feedback and have a very collaborative nature. We constantly hop on calls to check in with each other and lend a helping hand if needed. This allows us to act as a cohesive unit to find the best solutions for our clients.

Company Process

Our process starts by hopping on a face-to-face call to understand the nature of the client’s business and introduce each other. This initial call is to gain a better understanding of their project and how our solutions will solve their needs. Here a few questions we might typically ask on a call:

1. 1. Can you walk us through the typical customer workflow together?
   2. What theme are you currently using?
   3. What apps are currently in use?

Too often companies bounce between faceless IT employees and have to explain their needs, business and project over and over. That’s why each of our clients is assigned their own Solutions Consulting Manager who is their main point of contact from then on. They are there for them from start to finish of the project. They also have a dedicated Project Manager that sends daily updates on the project’s progress. This is to maintain the high level of communication that we value so much.

We Explain Complex Situations in Layman’s Terms

We’re highly technical but we know how to “translate” tech-speak into plain language. We are located all over North America, with offices in New York and Montreal and our employees speak native English. We explain concepts in easy-to-understand terms so that our clients are in the loop throughout the entire process.

Transparency

We are always clear and forthcoming with our costs + timelines. There are absolutely no hidden fees or costs. If a project runs over the estimated time, we hop on a call with our clients to discuss the next steps so that there are never any surprises.

Efficiency, but Not at the Cost of Quality

Most projects usually take 7-10 business days to complete, which includes full range testing completed by our quality assurance engineering team for each phase. After each phase, our clients receive testing notes and videos to ensure absolute quality and satisfaction. This collaborative process is the best way to stay on track and build that foundation of trust we so highly value and emphasize.

Once the entire project is completed, our QA engineers and Project Managers test the final project to ensure there are no bugs or issues to fix. The release notes are then sent to the client for one more run over before we go live with the site!

Why we Value Client Relationships at Westmount Solutions

Once we start working with a client, it’s our mission to get to know them and their company inside and out. This helps us create customized solutions that work efficiently. We don’t believe in treating human beings as just another number in a queue of projects.

We highly value our repeat clients and many of them that have been with us for more than 3 years! These long-standing relationships are what we’re all about here.

All IT companies should place client relationships at the forefront of the mission – it is beneficial to all parties involved. Bringing the human aspect back into business is an important practice for all!