Handling clients in project management is a daunting task. This is more pertinent when you are handling an over-bearing client. With time, relentless demands which were not contained in the contract may ruin your relationship with the client.
The Scope Creep
The situation starts innocently enough with a few suggestions for modification though there is no mention of changes in the contract price. Once you have made these initial revisions more demands follow now that the client has noted your willingness to make changes.
Over the next few months the project will grow in magnitude having deviated from the main objective. The fact that a contract is already in place complicates matters further and you will feel bound to continue giving in to these demands.
A situation where a project starts well but gets bigger and bigger with time, even as your price remains the same is referred to as scope creep. It is a common situation especially in project management and the client in most cases does not even realize these demands are beyond the scope of the initial contract.
Steven Flannes in a study on the angry-critical client denotes the role of a project manager in remedying such a situation as primarily managing the tense relationship. Your reaction to these incessant demands will determine the future of your relationship.
What leads to endless unpaid revisions in a project? Lior Frenkel in an article published on nuSchool submits that:
- Clients misinterpret a contract to mean they own your time. This is one reason they will never propose changes to the price structure.
- Some clients have no clue of what they really want and as you continue working on their project they realize when it is too late that the end result is not what they had conceptualized.
By acquiescing to these demands you will essentially be working for free. However big the project is you should never allow yourself to be pushed into the mire of a scope-less project. However, I believe you will concur that severing this association should not be the first course of action.
As a manager you appreciate that problem-solving is one of the most fundamental attributes you can possess. To avoid the problems that come when clients start asking for more than what was in the agreement here are some factors to keep in mind:
1. Communication is Vital
Before you agree to any more demands have a look at the initial objectives of the project. This calls for one-on-one communication with your client preferably through a conference call.
You will have to take the client through the initial objectives of the project in order to defer any more revision. It is important to highlight that more demands would be tantamount to starting a new project altogether. Clear communication solves problems in any relationship and your manager-client relationship can only be saved by ensuring that there is clear understanding between you and the client.
2. Active Listening
Janet Christy a development consultant argues that listening and actually hearing out an upset client should be standard practice in project management. Listening to another person makes them feel appreciated but more importantly it gives you more information to solve the problem at hand. Once you listen to the client you will have an idea why they are making endless modification requests.
The reasons for this kind of behavior range from fear of failure, stakeholders’ demands among others. You should make a proactive step to solve these underlying fears in order to stop any more modifications to the project.
3. Redefine the Rules of the Relationship
A contract sets the rules of engagement in a client relationship. By working outside these agreements a client will have broken the rules and you need to revisit the contract with them. This should be done in a professional manner to ascertain that you are in control.
It is important for the client to understand that the set guidelines must be followed if the end result is to be attained. More importantly, the client must understand that any changes will have to be inserted into the contract thus necessitating changes in price. As one analyst says you are the expert, not the client-so make the client understand that in a nice way.
4. Educate Your Clients
This is an all-encompassing approach involving communication and enlightening the client about what you are doing. By giving them an inside look at what your team is doing and how their unplanned modification requests will impact the project they will gain better understanding.
For instance, they will have to appreciate such demands will delay the entire project and even compromise the quality of the final outcome. You should also educate the client on the real purpose of a modification request which is to get the best end results.
5. Clearly Define Terms of a Revision
The whole idea of a contract is to maintain a healthy relationship and you should leverage a well-written document to clearly define what revisions will entail. Some of the things to include:
- Definition of a revision
- Number of revisions allowed
- Changes to be considered extra work
- Any fees to be involved in case of extra work.
With such a clear delineation of terms your team will not have to deal with unnecessary demands. Such a contract saves the relationship by ensuring that the project remains on schedule.
6. Remain Professional
There is no gainsaying the strain a client’s relentless demands can cause but as a project manager you must remain professional. However stressful the situation gets you must remain calm and patient when dealing with your client.
This is an ingenious way of sustaining this relationship without losing focus on the project. Maintaining a professional mien also helps solve the underlying problems which will end up stopping more demands. This being a conflict situation you need to be patient in order to get a clear focus of the events.
Final Word
Maintaining client relationships in the light of demands that are out of the scope of a project is without doubt a herculean task. Nevertheless, you can stop these demands if you set the expectations upfront, communicate during all phases of the project, define all terms of the project and of course remain professional even in the face of the most unnecessary demands.
Image: Garfield Anderssen
