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Effective client communication is a two-way practice: understand what the client means, agree how contact will work, and make each exchange lead to a clear next step. These eight habits can help professionals build that practice without assuming one channel or cadence works for every client.
1. Listen before preparing your response
Give the client room to finish. Pay attention not only to the words, but also to the concern or context behind them. Communication is not just delivering a message; it includes receiving it as the sender intended. Michael S. Terrell, PMP, made that point in a 1999 PMI article.
In a meeting or call, avoid interrupting to defend a decision or offer a fix. If you need to take notes, keep them brief enough that you can stay engaged.
2. Reflect back what you heard
Paraphrase the request in your own words, then ask a focused question if anything remains unclear. For example: “I understand that you need the revised figures before Friday so you can finalize the budget. Is that right?” This gives the client a chance to correct a misunderstanding before it shapes the work. The Australian Government’s business.gov.au guidance on communicating with customers recommends rephrasing to check understanding.
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3. Pause and consider the context
Do not rush from a message to a solution. Consider relevant correspondence, what has already been agreed, and the client’s circumstances. If you need time to check a detail or consult someone, say so and give a realistic time for your next response rather than guessing.
4. Agree on expectations at the start
Early in the relationship, discuss how communication will work. The American Bar Association’s client-communication guidance addresses frequency, channels, and availability in lawyer-client relationships; the same subjects can be useful to agree on in other professional relationships.
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- How often the client can expect updates, including when there is no major change.
- Which channels to use for routine messages, urgent matters, and documents.
- What information an update will include.
- Your usual availability and realistic response times.
Be specific enough to prevent mismatched expectations, but do not promise constant availability if you cannot provide it.
5. Choose a channel that fits the exchange
There is no universally best way to communicate with every client. Choose a channel based on urgency, complexity, the client’s preference and accessibility needs, confidentiality, and whether a durable written record is important. A brief scheduling question may suit a short message; a complicated or sensitive issue may call for a conversation followed by a written recap.
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Agree on the channel where possible, and use an appropriate secure method for confidential information. Guidance from the Project Management Institute on communication in project management supports tailoring the medium to the recipient and purpose rather than ranking formats universally.
6. Make updates purposeful and regular
Set an update rhythm that suits the work and the client’s needs. A useful update says what has changed, what remains in progress, whether anything is blocked, and what happens next. Tailor its format and level of detail to the recipient: one client may want a concise status note, while another may need a fuller report or discussion.
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PMI guidance on communication as a foundation for project success describes planning communication around recipients, content, format, modality, schedules, and escalation paths. You can use those elements to make updates predictable without sending messages that add no useful information.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.7. Close the loop after substantive exchanges
After a meaningful discussion or decision, acknowledge what was agreed and make the next step explicit. State who owns it and when it is due. If you cannot yet answer, confirm that you received the request and say when you will follow up.
Terrell wrote in the 1999 PMI article that “The communication should not be considered complete until acknowledged by either word or deed.” Acknowledgment does not require a lengthy reply; it prevents a client from being left unsure whether a message was received or acted on.
8. Act on feedback and keep the relationship respectful
When a client raises a concern or provides useful information, thank them, clarify what they mean, and follow through on any agreed action. If you cannot make a requested change, explain the constraint and any available alternatives plainly. The business.gov.au customer-communication guidance recommends following up on information received and doing something with it.
For availability expectations, keep the evidence in its proper context: an ABA article published in 2019 reported that the 2018 Legal Trends Report found 68% of clients expected their lawyers to be available outside the office, 59% expected availability outside business hours, and 39% of lawyers said working outside business hours negatively affected their personal lives. Those figures concern legal clients and lawyers, are historical, and should not be treated as representative of clients across industries.
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