I often wonder how some professionals stay in business as long as they do. Often times when I am working with a client, the chief complaint I hear over and again, is the lack of communication with others. As a REALTOR, I've certainly experienced this myself and at the very least, it is frustrating. When a client does not receive the level of communication they feel is essential, they begin to close the gaps in their mind because of the lack of information. When a client asks their lender for example if there are any problems, and there is no communication back, the client begins to feel there is something amiss. When you repeatedly call another REALTOR in the attempt to garner information and they fail to respond in a timely fashion, you begin to feel as though you have no importance in that person's schedule. When e.mails go unanswered, you often wonder if they even received your note. 
As a REALTOR, 80 percent of what we do is actual communication and the other 20 percent is the administrivia behind the curtains. Do some business people even know the amount of lost business due to their own lack of communication? My number one goal in business is to maintain contact. Not only to get business, but more importantly- to keep it. Never underestimate the importance of keeping in touch. Clients would rather you tell them directly what the problems are, where the pitfalls lay, what they should expect, and how the process works, rather than keeping them in the dark. If a client feels they are getting too much information, they'll let you know. 
As REALTORS in this modern age of communication, there are so many avenues to keep in touch, that it is un-excusable for failing to do so. A client really needs to feel as if they are the only client you have. Of course you know you have a 100 clients, but never let your client know that.
There will always be those clients that no matter how often you update them, how quickly you respond, how detailed you are, it will never be enough, but this is probably more often the exception than the rule. When a deal goes south and you start to replay the whole scenario in your mind (and you will) think about how it may have changed had you been more communicative.
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