Slack has revolutionized team collaboration, providing a strong platform for improved teamwork. However, its capabilities extend beyond internal communication to effectively facilitate communication with clients. To use Slack effectively with clients, refer to this guide.
1. Create a Dedicated Channel for Each Client
To start, create a new channel for each client. This helps keep conversations organized and easy to track. To create a new channel, click on the “+” sign next to “Channels” in the Slack sidebar, and then select “Create a channel”.
In the Create a channel window, give your channel a name that clearly identifies the client and make sure you set the channel to Private to ensure confidentiality.
2. Invite Your Clients to Their Dedicated Channel
To invite a client to their dedicated channel, you need to send them an invitation. Go to the client’s specific channel and click on Invite more people. Then, enter the client’s email address and click on Send Invitation.
3. Establish Communication Guidelines
Setting some ground rules upfront will help ensure a smooth, professional interaction with your clients on Slack. For instance, you can specify the hours during which your team will be available on Slack, or how soon clients can expect a response to their messages.
4. Use Slack’s Features to Enhance Client Communication
Slack offers numerous features that can help streamline and enhance your communication with clients.
- Threads: Use threads to keep conversations organized. Simply click on the message and select Reply in thread to start a thread.
- Reactions: Use emoji reactions to acknowledge messages. This is a quick way to show you have seen a message without interrupting the flow of the conversation.
- Reminders: Use Slack’s reminder feature to set reminders for tasks. Simply type /remind in the message bar followed by your reminder and the date/time.
5. Keep Your Clients Updated
Slack can be an excellent tool for keeping clients updated about project progress. For instance, you could create automated status updates using Slack’s Workflow Builder.
In order to create a new workflow, click on Workflow Builder from the menu, then select Create from scratch. Then, select Schedule from the list of trigger events and set up the frequency and content of your updates.
Conclusion
Using Slack for client communication can be a game-changer for your business. It provides a unified platform where you can communicate effectively, share files, and keep track of your conversations. However, remember to always respect your client’s communication preferences and ensure that they are comfortable using Slack. Happy Slacking!