The number one challenge most of our clients face is unrealistic expectations. Seems like everyone wants it faster and cheaper. What's a professional to do?
Try this:
- The Customer doesn't know your process, so make time to share (in a non-defensive tone) what steps are involved.
- Ask questions to understand their needs so that you can provide options
- Aim for open-ended questions: "How will you be using this chart, ppt, program, data?"
- Tell them what's in it for them to answer your questions: "...so we can come up with some options".
- Then share the options and allow them choose, like in this video.
- "We can provide a comic book ready drawing of Spiderman in 10 minutes or a rough draft in 10 seconds, which do you prefer?"
- "We can provide a fully translated and proofed document in 6 hours, or just the translation in 3 hours. Which do you prefer?
You can't manage customers, but you can manage expectations.