Client Confidentiality: A Most Personal Process

As an organizer, you are helping a client with some of their most intimate possessions and feelings. These must be handled with utmost care. Your clients must feel that they can totally trust you. Here are six tips to help you gain and keep your client’s trust.

#1: Don’t Gab
Everything a client tells you should be held in confidence. You should never discuss a client’s information or situation with anyone, even family and friends. You never know who knows who.

#2: Get Permission
Always ask the client for permission before you take photos, open closed doors, peek in drawers, use the bathroom, etc. Never post pictures on social media sites or use in presentations without written permission from the client.There may be areas of a home that are off limits – for whatever reason. Be respectful of their space and privacy. If you appear pushy and aggressive, you’ll probably never hear from that client again.

#3: Keep it on the Down Low
Sometimes clients do not want family members, friends and/or neighbors to know that they are working with a professional organizer. You may be asked to remove signs from your vehicle or discreetly remove donations, recycling and trash.

#4: Reassure, but Don’t Divulge
Many clients want to be reassured that they are not the worst situation you have ever seen. You can reassure them, but avoid giving specific examples of other situations. Never say anything negative about another client to a client! They will think you are going to do the same to them. If asked for examples, you can use a broad statement like, “you are not alone – many people struggle with organization after having a family. I’ve helped families in similar situations as yours – here’s what worked…” and put a positive spin on it.

#5: Shred it!
Clients these days are fearful of identity theft and personal information getting into the wrong hands – with good reason. You must respect this and take care to shred documents with personal information, account numbers, medical and financial information properly. It helps to have a reliable shredding company to work with. Also, remove names/addresses from mail, catalogs and junk mail before recycling.

#6: Put it in Writing
If you want to help your clients rest assured, put it in writing. This week only, we are offering our Confidentiality Agreement template for only $5! It will help you look professional to have it available if a client requests or requires one.

If you’d like to learn more about how to work more effectively with your organizing clients, we invite you to take our e-Course: Clients 101: How to Work with Organizing Clients.