Five Point Series: 5 Questions to Ask your Client

Your first interaction with the client need not be saved for formal interactions.
The invigorating shift in work cultures and client relations prompts most business owners, to up their game in the market.  Here is your cue: Make that first meeting count. Just as it takes only the first ten seconds in an interview to make the right impression, the same rule is applicable in largely everything else. Take this meeting as an opportunity for you to connect with your client on a personal level—and gather the right information for your project.
Bringing you the top 5 questions to ask your client when setting off on your project with them.

Question 1: Where are you heading with this product?
Careful not to display your complete unawareness for your undertaking, however this question helps you understand your project on two levels – the first: helps you gain clarity on the vision and the values your client has for their products, and secondly: brings to light the passion your client has for the project. A two-fold revelation contributes to a conversation about business goals and ambitions that in turn fuels the direction of your action towards brand and audience awareness.
Question 2: Who are your main competitors?
While you remain aware that the number of competitors or the quality of another’s product has very little implication on the project you undertake for your client, it is super important that you point your markers around how your client’s competitors react to different markets. They often offer a textbook styled case study for businesses.
Question 3: Who do you want to sell your product to?
More often than not, tech teams go on to create valuable products for companies depending on a skewed impression of ‘what works’ in the market. Move away from such assumptions. There is a lot of time wasted on such banalities. With the help of your client, invest in valuable research of demographics, psychographics, consumer habits, understanding current website habits. They always tell you a story—very different from the assumptions.
Question 4: What is Scope of the Project?
This is an integral part of any project and defining it in your initial client meeting will allow you to assess whether or not it is a right fit for your team. A central aspect of this question is to determine the key timelines and deliverables. Don’t just ask your client when they expect to see a final product, but get them to identify any key dates or milestones leading up to that deadline—secure all the data and assets you require from their end before you commit timelines.
Question 5: Who or what are the Project Pain Points?
What are the most common concerns and complaints that customers express after buying or testing your client’s product? How does your client respond to this feedback? What type of customer service policy do they embrace? Servicing the pain points prepare you for the negative feedback you may hear over the course of the project—and gives you a head-start to combat them when necessary.
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