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'I treat every client like my girlfriend': COO's unconventional approach to earn clients' trust wins praise
Chandigarh-based COO Jatin Gulati compared client relationships to dating, sharing tips on trust, empathy, and communication in a LinkedIn post.
A Chandigarh-based marketing professional is being praised online for his unconventional analogy comparing client relationships to dating. Taking to LinkedIn, Jatin Gulati, Chief Operating Officer at Praper Media, shared five ways to strengthen work-related ties. “I treat every client like my girlfriend,” he wrote, before quickly clarifying, “Not like that creepy guy from your college. But just by caring so much… that it’s sometimes unprofessional.”
In his post, Gulati explained that when a client truly matters, work naturally becomes personal. “You stop seeing it as ‘just another project.’ You start caring,” he wrote, before listing five points on maintaining long-term client relationships.
Gulati shared that his method revolves around understanding clients deeply, communicating openly, and paying attention to even the smallest details.
“Learn their moods. Notice what kind of feedback they give on good days vs bad ones. It saves us a lot of stress. Over-communicate. Update them before they ask. Clients love feeling prioritised. Match their energy. If they’re chill, don’t be stiff. If they’re serious, don’t be goofy. Adapt. Remember the small stuff. Professionally, their favourite colours, transitions, and non-negotiables. But personally, the content they like to consume, their birthday, their weekly schedule - it all counts,” he wrote.
He also emphasised the importance of standing up for the client’s brand even when it means disagreeing with them. “Care enough to say, ‘This doesn’t fit your tone.’ That’s when you earn respect, not just approval,” he said.
Gulati concluded his post by saying that once trust is built, professional relationships evolve beyond transactions. “Once a client trusts you, your job gets 10x easier. Because now they’re not just paying you - they’re listening to you,” he wrote.
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How did social media react?
Gulati’s post has caught the internet’s attention, with many users praising his approach.
“This is gold! Relationships like these are the real growth engine,” one user wrote.
“Clients at the end of the day are humans. And humans crave connection. You outline exactly how to tap into that,” commented another.
“100% True. Building relationship and trust, transparent communications and matching their vibes are most important keys in serving your clients. I do small things like wishing them on their important dates, talking about their loved ones, knowing their interests and starting the conversation in such a way where they do most of the talking and I listen patiently. All these have always helped me in building long term Client relationships,” shared a third user.
“Love the analogy—it perfectly captures the importance of deep, personalized care in client work. The point about defending their brand shows a true partnership, which is where the best work happens,” said one user.
