Pro PI Academy

  • Main
  • Courses
    • Course Catalog
  • Academy Blog
  • Contact Us
    • PI Instructor
  • FAQ's
  • PI Associations
  • Main
  • Courses
    • Course Catalog
  • Academy Blog
  • Contact Us
    • PI Instructor
  • FAQ's
  • PI Associations

Knowing Your Client's Needs

7/16/2016

0 Comments

 
We have discussed the importance of defining the scope of your investigation and gaining the agreement of your client in previous posts and in our training programs. In recent conversations with clients, there is one additional step that may help you fully establish their expectations. 

This additional step is the art of establishing expectations. Expectations are the ideas your client has as to outcome of the investigation. Sometimes these expectations may be unrealistic. Clients new to using private investigative services only know the fictional private investigators they see in movies or read about in books. Others have convinced themselves of what your investigation will find. This is prevalent in infidelity cases. As the private investigator it is critical that you work to establish realistic expectations for your client before you begin. These expectations will center around the capabilities you have, and do not have as a private investigator. 

You begin establishing expectations with the first contact you have with your client. Following are a few tips, feel free to share your tips: 

1. Look for warning signs - In talking with your client be alert for clues that their expectations may exceed a private investigator's abilities. They may reference a movie character, inquire if you have access to criminal records, or how you will gain information. Address these as soon as they are brought up by your client.

2. Prevention is the best method - Have a rehearsed overview speech about your firm and your capabilities. It should be short, but hit the high points of your capabilities. Emphasize that you are a professional private investigator and that you will not violate any criminal laws, or your code of ethics. In his overview speech, one investigator said, "We are professionals bound by the law and our code of ethics." The client then asked, "So you won't break in his office to find his financial records?" Great example of having unrealistic expectations. 

3. Be honest - it is important that your client's understand what they can expect from the investigation within the resources they will provide you. Honesty as to the results is the best practice. We highlighted in an earlier blog posting that after talking with a client, the investigator realized their expectations exceeded what could be reasonably expected. The investigator wisely declined the case. 

Key to being successful in establishing expectations is to be honest, upfront. And yes, there are times it may cost you a potential client when their expectations are unrealistic. Failing to establish expectations and defining an acceptable investigative scope before you begin can be damaging to your firm's reputation. To protect your reputation, make sure that you define the expectations your client should have of your work before you begin.  
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Pro PI staff

    Experienced professionals and trainers.

    Articles

    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    August 2014
    July 2014
    February 2014
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    Categories

    All
    Investigations
    Paralegal
    Report Writing
    Training

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos from It'sGreg, Grant Wickes, wuestenigel (CC BY 2.0), Chris Yarzab, jeffdjevdet, 81disasters, dannymac15_1999, g23armstrong, Oracle_Photos_Screenshots, wocintechchat.com, Linking Paths, sakai_dai, Theo Crazzolara, Sebastiaan ter Burg, Matthew Paul Argall, homethods, wuestenigel, locusresearch, ccPixs.com, HDValentin, Denise Wauters, barnimages.com, internets_dairy, fabola, taymtaym