When Dealing With Clients, The Details Matter

Julie Starr • September 22, 2021



Have you ever been truly impressed by the standard of service you’ve received? It might be that it seemed that the customer representative really took the time to get to the heart of your issue, or perhaps a lenient returns policy was enacted thanks to the good graces of a store owner in your local area. 

The passing business we give to small firms as a customer is one thing, but having that prolonged feeling of worthwhile service and care when interacting as a client is a whole different kettle of fish. You feel this more often when in a service industry, such as being offered a tea before your great haircut, or when a waiter really dotes on your table. 

Yet as a corporate manager, applying this level of service to our prolonged clients can be tough. They’re individuals after all, and individuals have different tastes or may need to be convinced of the standards of your service before they give you repeat (and sometimes very lucrative) business.

When dealing with clients, the details matter. Here’s how and why we should consider that:

 

Introductions & Onboarding

How you receive a client into your firm can be essential. It’s important not to assume they know the ins and outs of your firm. An introduction should also be a sales pitch. Allow them to tour your facilities, or showcase your process. Onboarding , as in easily structuring an account for them with consent, giving them login information, allowing them to track every holding they have with you, all of this can be key. This is why your website as a hub of your business should be invested in, because it will allow convenience within our interconnected world.

Support, Questions & Intrigue

It’s incredibly important to make sure that the support capabilities you have will adequately field client questions. This means training your staff in the frequently asked questions they’re likely to get, while also giving them the autonomy necessary to search for solutions and provide a flexible response.  Great quality customer service is one of the pillars of any successful company, and making sure your clients receive all the assistance they need will be the deciding factor on the reputation of your company. However, luckily there are more than a few useful tools that will be able to help you in the customer service department. For example, suppose you offer veterinary services. In that case, having a veterinarian answering service take care of your incoming calls can save a lot of time and effort!

It’s also a great idea to inspire intrigue within your clients, by making them aware of how processes could be linked to additional services, without coming across as upselling every single time. The more you can make the use of your services entertaining and interesting to be part of (often emphasized by those in your industry who do this really well), the more likely someone is to stick around.

Logistics & Transport

How your firm manages the logistics of its interaction with clients, and how it transports clients too, can make a massive difference. For instance, corporate transportation can not only provide you with a sleek but dependable experience that reflects well on your firm. Where other firms see a logistical necessity that needs to be invested in as the cost of business, you can use this as another element that helps curate your client list while keeping your principles clearly visible.

With this advice, we hope you can create and sustain clients by focusing on the details.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.