3 Practices to Cultivate Compassionate Client Communication
We are delighted to have our esteemed sage, Malta Nur Doa, Product Marketing Manager at eFishery, to share his top tips on how to cultivate compassionate communication in our client practices. With a wealth of knowledge and expertise in product marketing, media, and communication, Malta is a highly dedicated professional with over 10+ years of experience in the industry. Throughout his career, Malta has made significant contributions to renowned companies such as GoTo, BukuWarung, and eFishery, as well as media agency IPG Mediabrands.
As a Senior Media Implementer and Analytics expert at IPG MediaBrands, Malta has successfully collaborated with esteemed clients including Reckitt Benckiser Indonesia, Santos Jaya Abadi, KIN Dairy, Air Asia, and Investree. He is known for his strategic media planning skills and a deep commitment to compassionate communication, which he believes are crucial for achieving impactful results. Malta’s journey in the startup and media industry has not only allowed him to deliver impressive outcomes for his clients but has also fostered solid and collaborative relationships along the way.
In this interview, Malta talks about the need to have qualitative interviews with clients to understand their goals, business objectives, challenges, and also the customers’ needs and concerns since they are just as important. Malta highlights the need to address clients’ pain points and ensure that the campaigns are based on both what the clients and their customers need. This approach not only strengthens working relationships but also fosters collaboration and trust.
Malta also discusses the challenges of incorporating compassionate communication. It’s important to release judgment and put aside personal emotions when interacting with clients. The goal is to have a strong bond with clients and understand their perspectives without imposing judgments or personal biases. The main way to achieve that is by creating a safe and supportive environment for clients to express themselves.
In terms of practices that he has personally done with his clients, Malta shares three key pieces of advice. The first is actively listening to clients, asking why and how to better understand their challenges and aspirations. By maintaining eye contact, using attentive body language, and minimizing distractions, we need to ensure that clients feel heard and understood.
The second practice involves putting ourselves in the clients’ shoes and seeking to understand their perspectives and experiences by acknowledging their concerns and frustrations without judgment. This way, a safe and collaborative environment is created, enabling us to create tailored solutions and successful outcomes.
Lastly, clear and respectful communication is a must, as fundamental as using inclusive and non-confrontational language. While seeking feedback or discussing plans with clients, we need to always remember to address them in a respectful manner, using words like Sir and Madam. Clear communication helps in conveying ideas effectively, while respect and collaboration foster trust and rapport.
The most important advice Malta offers for cultivating compassionate communication is to cultivate self-awareness. By reflecting on thoughts, reactions, and biases, one can approach client interactions more consciously and effectively manage high-pressure situations. Seeking feedback from colleagues and clients also helps in personal growth and improving compassionate communication skills.