AI as Your Communication Ally: Elevating Client Engagement in Design

Hi! I’m Brandy Lawson, back with another episode of Elevated, the podcast dedicated to helping you build a better Kitchen & Bath Design business. In our last episode, we explored how AI can be your efficiency expert in task creation and work summaries. In this episode we’re talking about the wild world of client communications and how AI can be your poet laureate in crafting clear, effective messages that keep your projects running smoothly.

As a business owner, you know that client communication is the key to successful projects and ultimately those much-desired 5-star Google reviews. From initial sales emails to project updates and even handling those pesky warranty requests, how you communicate can make or break a client relationship. But striking the right tone and getting all the details in without writing a novel is HARD. That’s where AI comes in.

AI as Your Writing Coach

First up, let’s talk about those moments when you need to get a message out, but your brain tank has hit E. We’ve all been there – staring at a blank screen, wondering how the hell to start. AI can be your personal writing coach, ready to help you get that shitty first draft onto the screen so you can skip to edit mode. Just give it a prompt with the key points you want to cover, or even just the situation you find yourself in, and watch it work its magic.

But what about those times when you’re maybe not in the proper emotional state to interface with others? Maybe a project has gone sideways, and you’re feeling pretty frustrated. Or perhaps you’re just having one of those days where everything feels like a slog. AI can help here, too. Feed it your draft, and ask it to improve the tone or clarity. You have access to an “objective” third party to give you a reality check and help you communicate in a way that’s both professional and effective, even if that’s not particularly how you are feeling at the moment.

Maintaining Brand Voice Consistency with AI

Another overlooked place that AI can help with communication is with consistent tone and wording. You can train AI on your brand voice, and then members of the team can use it to help them write in the tone of the company. While we aren’t trying to sanitize personality, it is just that clients feel more confident (and continue to trust us) when the communications feel consistent no matter which team member they come from. Further, you can use AI to generate starting templates from the brand voice, and team members can leverage those. If you are training a team member on client communications, they can use the templates and then run their final versions through the brand voice AI to ensure they are getting the hang of the company tone and wording.

AI Client Communication: Overcoming Common Hurdles with Smart Solutions

Next up, let’s address some common client communication challenges. Reminding clients about timelines and deadlines? AI can help craft friendly, yet firm reminders. Updating clients when there have been delays or unexpected events? AI can assist in writing clear, concise updates that keep everyone in the loop. Following up with clients to get necessary information, decisions, or actions? You guessed it – AI can generate follow-up messages that are friendly, yet persuasive.

But here’s the thing – sometimes, written communication isn’t the right answer. There are times when picking up the phone or meeting in person is the right move to ensure the most efficient and effective communication. But guess what? You still can get an AI assist in these cases. Ask it to generate a script for your call or a meeting agenda to keep you on track.

As usual, AI isn’t the end-all-be-all. It is an incredible tool, sure, but not a substitute for your personal touch. Always review and edit any AI-generated messages to ensure they align with your brand voice and the specific needs of your client and project. There is a reason Microsoft’s AI is called co-pilot, not autopilot.

Want to start using AI to tackle your client communication challenges? Consider this week where AI could help you craft clearer, more effective messages. Whether it’s getting that first draft on the blank page, improving the tone of a message, or generating a script for a crucial conversation, AI can help you improve client communication, which in turn can boost client satisfaction and profits.

In our next episode, we’ll walk through specific examples of using AI for client communications. We’ll look at real-world scenarios and how AI can help you navigate them like a pro. If you haven’t already, click that subscribe button. Your future, more AI-savvy self will thank you.