Bad communication
"I have a bad experience with the company you work for."
That's one of the first things a client told me today. I sat down and asked what had happened. Early on, it was clear that it all came down to one thing:
Bad communication.
After having straightened out all questions, I did my job. Nothing special, the same thing others had done in the past. His reaction, though, was quite different this time:
"Now I will recommend you to my neighbors."
Same job, totally different outcome. No magic, no special skills required.
Clear communication, that's all there is to it.