Tu cliente duda del cronograma de un proyecto. ¿Cómo puede tranquilizarlos de manera efectiva?

Understanding the mission and overarching goal of any projects enables you to go back to the drawing board and assess where things might have gone wrong. Keeping your eye on the prize will keep you focused to your goal. Remember Nietsche's theory on stupidity: "the most common form of human stupidity is forgetting to accomplish what we were trying to accomplish".

Define the goal and deadline Work backwards to break the main goal into milestones along with timelines Period review and feedback mechanism All this thorough planning backed with conviction to deliver will help client trust you.

La implementación de cualquier mejora en un proceso de negocio debe considerar rangos de tolerancia para los fallos, de forma que permita hacer las correcciones pertinentes en el camino!

I will have a meeting with the team to get the details about client’s concern. Develop the action plan with the team to back track the project deliverables with specified timelines. Thereafter, I will conduct the meeting with client to understand his concerns and present the action plan to win his confidence. Further, I will be in touch with the client for a few months to get the pulse and ensure that team will meet the targets within the specified time. In case of any issue which is beyond our control, inform the client to ensure mutual consensus and design the mitigation mutually to ensure client’s buy in.

When our client Equifax expressed doubts about our project’s timeline, I invited them to our office to meet the entire team and see our progress firsthand. During their visit, we gave a detailed presentation, including a project roadmap that highlighted completed milestones and upcoming tasks. This visual transparency showed that the project was on track and clarified how each phase contributed to the overall timeline. By engaging directly with the team and seeing the commitment and progress, Equifax’s concerns were significantly alleviated. Inviting Equifax to see our work environment and team dedication provided powerful reassurance and ensured their confidence in our ability to deliver successfully. Meet the client in person 🤗☺️

Ways that we show progress is through the permitting process, picture and invoicing for work done. With a clear path to the finish line

I find that clients already trust me (that's what they essentially buy when you are a consultant - you) but when I am able to showcase the outline, they can breathe easier. Gantt charts are easy to interpret and I also like to create weekly progress meetings for certain types of high impact projects. Having mutual commitment on both sides allows for a better outcome and shares the responsibility for success.

Provide a Contingency Plan. Sometimes, even with the best intentions and a very well thought-out schedule, unexpected things come up. The longer the time-period, the greater the variability of those uncontrollables, even if you carve out cushion in the roadmap. Agree with the client ahead of time what would be an appropriate protocol if things don’t go as planned.

Clarify what’s on the line for YOU if you don’t deliver 😅 In terms of risk, your client understands what’s on the line for them if you come up short, miss a timeline, etc. You should make sure they understand you are fully partnered with them and participating in downside risk (i.e. revenue, in-kind values, other collaborations, etc.) This massively improves alignment and a mutual willingness to work through curve balls together that we all know will come.

Prepare contingency plans for high-impact risks to ensure effective mitigation of disruptions. Addressing risks proactively demonstrates proactive leadership, as exemplified in a recent technology upgrade initiative where a identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities early in the planning phase and swiftly implemented preemptive measures.

Risk management works best when done together with the client, in my experience. Do your homework, of course. Share your detailed risk analysis. Identify potential delays and their probability. This transparency builds trust. After that, go through everything with the client and ask questions. Let them go through priorities and possible roadblocks. Builds clients buy-in

Risk management isn’t just a safety net; it’s a confidence builder. By addressing potential risks and their solutions upfront, you reinforce your timeline’s reliability. Show your client you’re prepared, not reactive. This proactive approach solidifies trust and keeps projects on track.

From my experience in the realms of business development & project management, adaptability emerges as a fundamental principle. Should your client's concerns be substantiated, it is imperative to remain poised to reevaluate & amend project timeline as warranted. Demonstrating openness to integrate their insights & implement modifications that more effectively align with overarching objectives of the project is essential. Such flexibility not only reinforces client relationship by underscoring value placed on contributions but also fosters a sense of shared ownership,transforming project into a collaborative endeavor regarding their feedback as a vital component of development process, thereby fostering a deeper sense of partnership & trust.

Flexibility will require collaboration between customer and supplier's team; this will strengthen the business intimacy, trust and loyalty.

I’ve found, sometimes the hard way, that it’s important to reassess from time to time. Sometimes the highest priority on a deliverable is no longer relevant or has morphed in some way. It’s important to understand when these changes happen, demonstrate agility to your stakeholders and team while maneuvering.

In the interaction with the client which covers the scope and the expected timelines it would be good to list out over negotiations and interaction with the client that the critical paths and challenges , keeping in mind client expectation will carry out the assignment and keep him abreast on progress . Let him interact with the delivery team and also be assosiated with the members for feedback and , insights will help him to see the progress first hand. He will then appreciate your efforts and the success achieved will then be appreciated .He will also savour his contribution in the completion of the Project despite the overreaching timelines. Effort will be rewarded, if slightly beyond commitment will not be punished.

The problem's answer is what counts in the end. It has to be adaptable enough to take into account an unexpected change in requirements. When GST was implemented in one of our projects, I recall that we quickly adjusted our strategy to account for this legislative change, which was greatly welcomed by our clients. These behaviors foster trust and have a lasting effect on client relationships.

Take the bull by the horns! 🐮 My mid-level managers constantly delayed projects, so I took the bull by the horns and fired several of them. In my experience, regular check-ins and updates play a crucial role in keeping clients in the loop and reinforcing trust in our ability to deliver on time. This involves regular meetings to review progress and discuss issues. By doing this,clients feel like active partners in the project than just observers, thereby maintaining their confidence and relationship. Example, I ensure that clients know I am available to address any concerns they have regarding their personal life too! I make them believe that am their omnipotent GOD! Don’t twist someone’s arm and don’t put the cart before the horse!

Support and encouragement are invaluable and can make a world of difference. Offering support to your team and partners can be more valuable than gold. What might seem like a small gesture to you could mean everything to a professional who's been working tirelessly and needs that final boost to achieve their KPI.

Seek to understand their perspective and have a concise timeline of the progress being made to make sure it is on track to be completed on time. Regularly scheduled meetings with specific agenda items helps to build trust, understanding and confidence.

Communication routes: Create routes of communication that are unambiguous and reliable. Make sure the customer is aware of how to contact you and your group with any changes or issues. Continual Updates: Arrange frequent progress meetings to update the client on the state of the project. Provide thorough reports and updates to show that you are still making progress. Adaptability and Reactivity: Be open to adjusting to any criticism or alterations. Your ability to respond quickly and adaptably will assist the client gain more faith in your project management skills.

Support and encouragement are invaluable and go a long way. Providing support for your team and partners can be more valuable than gold. What you may think of as a little metric may mean the world to a professional who's been in the trenches and needs that last bit of encouragement to get their KPI over the hump.

Commit to providing regular status updates and progress reports to keep the client informed throughout the project. Maintain open communication channels so the client can ask questions and get immediate responses.

Like with a great many business challenges one of the best solution jump off points is regular, even heavy, communications. This accomplishes two things at once. First, it creates a regular flow that allows for quick feedback and updates that will clarify and enhance the entire project's progress. This is a very 'business first' goal. Second, it goes to alleviate client (individual person and organizational) anxiety. It's this very anxiety that is really and truly behind so many blow-ups. Working to reduce and/or eliminate it will go a very long way towards happiness and success.

Regularly reviewing work and sharing progress updates with clients fosters engagement and trust. New clients might require extra effort to build confidence, but consistent performance and clear communication can quickly establish trust. By demonstrating commitment, addressing concerns promptly, and exceeding expectations, strong client relationships can be cultivated.

Have regular check-in booked into the calendar to review progress, discuss resolutions and celebrate milestones together to build a long term client relationship together whether it is your internal or external clients. Have a robust agenda for each regular catch up.

This point goes to the heart of communication and its importance. I would add that confidence is gained by showing consistent results and overcoming challenges that might arise with projects.