There probably isn’t a single Salesforce project that has ever gone perfectly to plan.
Just like the sayings, “If you don’t make any mistakes, you’re probably don’t make anything”, and Mike Tyson’s popular one, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face”.
That being established, you need to plan for contingencies. Here are a few for your consideration.
Remember the three constraints
The iron triangle says are three factors in a project (scope, time, and cost) and the client can only pick two. That means you control the 3rd and adjust up or down as needed.
Estimates are usually wrong
Most estimates are done at the start of the project, at a time in which you understand the least about the requirements and about the client.
Most consultants manage this by adding a 15% buffer, but you could eliminate this issue entirely if you provided fixed prices.
It’s a combined effort
No matter how efficient you and your team are, you still need input and feedback from the client. So if the client doesn’t respond in time, delays will happen.
This can be mitigated by asking for someone who is dedicated to the project. They are also responsible for finding answers to questions they don’t already know.
The takeaway
Experienced consultants usually have an easier time managing contingencies because they’ve been there multiple times. But everyone needs to keep their eyes open for potential challengings.