Imagine a situation in which the Salesforce project implementation isn’t going well.
We’ve all been there, even the best of us. In a recent case, I worked with a subcontractor that was.. less than ideal.
As the upcoming deadline loomed, the client started getting nervous. Would the subcontractor be able to finish the required work before the clock struck midnight? What would happen if they didn’t?
When the client emailed me with this concern, here was my approach:
- I validated their feelings. Being heard and listened to is an critical step in building trust.
- I expressed similar concerns. As I was ultimately responsible for the project, my neck was on the line. And the client knew they weren’t the only ones with these feelings.
- I outlined the possible outcomes:
- The subcontractor gets it right the 1st time.
- They get it mostly right, and resolve any minor issues before the deadline.
- They get it mostly right, but there are a few minor issues that can be resolved after the deadline.
- They get it mostly wrong, and there’s insufficient time to resolve before the deadline.
- I told the client that if scenario 4 occurs, I would pay the resulting penalty (which was not an insignificant amount).
Her response was, “Thank you. We are glad to have you working on it. We trust you.”
The takeaway
It’s natural to want to avoid talking about bas outcomes. However sometimes calling out the worst case scenario and what would occur in that scenario can calm nerves.
Once the client knows the worst of the worst will be properly handled, they can focus on helping get to the finish line together.