Find out how we developed a cooperative relationship with a client, and find out how it could help with your search results.
A determining factor for the outcome of a search is the communication between searcher and client. Typically, communication occurs at the beginning of a search, discussions include expectations of the search, format of results, and technical details of the case. With a number of clients, we have taken this a step further, by not only discussing the search project at hand, but by developing a more continuous, long-term dialogue. In our experience this has led to a development in our understanding of our clients’ needs, as well as proficiency within their technical field, and has provided better results for both us and the client.
An illustrative example is the way we work together with a one of our larger clients, a multinational high-tech company with a large IP department.
- After a search the client provides us with feedback as soon as there is something to comment or discuss. It could be that the result differs from the client’s expectations, that they are uncertain of the features covered by the search, or they may have general comments about the search or the results.
- Regular meetings, or phone calls, every other month to follow up on searches, discuss changes in personnel or working processes, and to catch up on what is happening in the IP community.
- Yearly workshops where teams from both sides participate and share knowledge and experiences. This could be anything from presentations about the client company’s research projects and new search tools to someone demonstrating how to navigate a really challenging search task.
Working together in this way has given us a better and deeper understanding of our client’s needs and expectations, and as it has brought us closer it has also made us even more committed to doing our utmost in finding exactly what our client is looking for in each and every search.