Are You Adapting To Your Clients, Or Are They Adapting To You? How's That Working?

In the highly competitive world of professional services, as in all other industries, companies need a competitive advantage – something that sets them apart from the competition, something that helps them close the deal and get the client.

We've all been there, pitching our services to a potential client, fully aware we are bidding against other firms with a comparable set of skills and expertise, and also fully aware that deals are won based on expertise, understanding the client needs, and showing flexibility.

Being flexible and adaptable is a common strategy for small and mid-size firms. It's one way of winning bids when being compared against larger or more experienced competitors, and is usually a sound strategy, but is it always the best one?

In order for this strategy to successfully help close the deal, it must be communicated early on. The client must be aware the firm is willing to adapt to its processes and create as little disruption as possible. When asked if a contract can be drafted in 3 days instead of 5, the answer is yes. When asked if the financials can be closed by the 3rd day of the month, the answer is yes. When asked if it's possible to integrate new ERP, banking, bookkeeping, expense-tracking, or a payroll-management app/software into the process, the answer is yes. When asked if meetings can be held at 4:00 AM local time because someone is in a different time zone, the answer is yes. All in the name of adapting to the client.

The result can be a little chaotic – 10 new clients use 10 different apps for some part of the process, 10 other new clients require 10 different custom-made reports. Information must be sent by email to one client, uploaded to their cloud-based, file-sharing system to another, and entered into their ERP software to another; and people at the firm stretch their working hours to accommodate the client's unusual timeframes and deadlines.

The question is not whether firms should adapt to their clients, but when and how much.

Strategic adaptability is different from tactical flexibility. Strategic adaptability means deciding in advance which types of clients, requirements, and changes align with the firm's long-term positioning. Tactical flexibility, by contrast, reacts to every request as it arises. The former supports growth; the latter often undermines it.

A useful rule of thumb is to adapt when the change strengthens your market position; this approach can be reused across clients, and supports a strategic relationship. Push back when customisation is client-specific, creates permanent inefficiencies, or disproportionately impacts people and profitability.

Clients rarely view rigidity as a virtue, but unlimited flexibility is not a strategy either. Adaptability should be intentional, structured, and aligned with business development goals. When built thoughtfully into a firm's processes and culture, it becomes a true competitive advantage rather than an operational risk.

The most successful firms are not the most flexible ones, but the ones that define where flexibility ends. Adaptability should be a strategic choice, not a reflex.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.