Discussing Client Matters in Public? Think Again.

Yesterday, while sitting in an Italian café, I couldn’t help but to overhear the conversation at the table next to me. Two businessmen had chosen the trendy locale to discuss a client’s (“XYZ, Inc.”) matters. I learned XYZ, Inc. was one of their “major” accounts; and in minutes, both men divulged the client’s profit margins, its yearly expenditures with their company, its key distribution channels, and the orders that XYZ, Inc. would be placing with them for the winter term.

I was floored when one of the men pulled out a hard copy of an email that an owner of XYZ, Inc. had sent him. With a nonchalant attitude, he read its contents (all proprietary information!) out loud, taking no heed to who was sitting next to him, or more importantly, that he was sitting in a public place. How stupid, right? I thought so.

Ironically, my café incident is not an isolated one. This scenario plays out all the time (I am sure you see it too!) but only in a different venue. Usually the culprit is on his/her cell phone while he/she is standing in line at Starbucks, riding the train or shopping at the grocery store; their client’s confidential/proprietary information is made available to anyone who cares to listen to their conversation.

Let’s be clear on one thing: your client is relying on you to keep their business matters locked up behind closed doors (i.e., in your office). If you feel brazen enough to disregard this cardinal rule, then be prepared to face the consequences should you be overheard by your client’s employees, associates, or even worse their competitors. If any of those people relay that information back to your client, you can kiss that client “goodbye”.

There will be no damage “control” – the damage is already done. It’s also one of those things that you can’t undo because you’ve lost your client’s respect and trust. They’ll find it difficult to justify your behavior because it demonstrates a lack of professionalism on your part.

So, please respect yourself and respect your client. Public places are not an appropriate forum to discuss client matters; and, there is no exception to that rule.

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