How can you resolve project disputes with clients while maintaining progress?
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Project disputes with clients are inevitable in IT consulting, but they can also derail your progress and damage your reputation if not handled well. In this article, you will learn some practical tips on how to resolve project disputes with clients while maintaining progress, based on the following aspects:
Before you try to resolve a project dispute, you need to understand the root cause of the problem. Is it a mismatch of expectations, a change in scope, a technical issue, a communication breakdown, or something else? By identifying the root cause, you can address the real issue and avoid wasting time and energy on symptoms or side effects.
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Dominic Kirby
SSCP | Director of Cloud Services, Pax8 | 🔒 CyberSec Practitioner | ☁ Modern Workplace Connoisseur | 💹 Inspired People leader | ♥ Husband, Father
Before you try to solve the problem, you need to understand the problem. Look at the issue with the client, your agreed upon scope of work, and talk with your team. Is this an issue with your team, or with the customer's expectation? From there, you can start to identify a path forward and who needs to act.
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Lisema Matsietsi CDFA, PD(SA), M.Inst.D, MCom
Professional Non-executive Director PD(SA), M.Inst.D || Managing Director and IT Strategy & Financial Reporting Consultant || President CIDEF SA Chapter || Developing future workforce through Being An Analyst
Depending on your adopted methodology, you might have room to discover the root cause while the project is still going. However, methodologies like the Waterfall might halt the whole progress of the project. This is because things must happen in sequential order. Contrarily, methodologies like Agile, Kanban, Six Sigma, scrum and others allow for the team to get started while were conclude on other issues.
Communication is key to resolving project disputes, as it can help you clarify the situation, express your perspective, listen to your client's concerns, and find common ground. You should communicate effectively by choosing the appropriate channel, tone, and frequency, as well as by providing clear, concise, and factual information. You should also avoid blaming, accusing, or attacking your client, and instead focus on finding a solution.
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Dominic Kirby
SSCP | Director of Cloud Services, Pax8 | 🔒 CyberSec Practitioner | ☁ Modern Workplace Connoisseur | 💹 Inspired People leader | ♥ Husband, Father
Bad communication guarantees a bad outcome. Always LISTEN to the client's problem, and take a moment to circle back internally. When coming back to the customer, have an effective debrief of your internal review and thoughts on their issue, and propose a path forward. This makes difficult meetings go faster and increases the likelihood of a positive outcome, allowing everyone to get back on track.
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Pradeep Rao
Director, Chief Architect at Kyndryl
Effective communication is crucial for resolving project disputes. It means expressing your thoughts clearly, listening to your client, and choosing the right way to communicate. Use a respectful tone, share information concisely, and focus on finding solutions instead of blaming. Good communication helps build understanding and paves the way for resolving issues smoothly.
Sometimes, resolving a project dispute requires negotiating with your client, especially if there are conflicting interests, expectations, or resources involved. You should negotiate fairly by setting realistic and mutually beneficial goals, exploring different options, and compromising where possible. You should also respect your client's position and needs, as well as your own boundaries and standards.
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Dominic Kirby
SSCP | Director of Cloud Services, Pax8 | 🔒 CyberSec Practitioner | ☁ Modern Workplace Connoisseur | 💹 Inspired People leader | ♥ Husband, Father
This is a 'give and take.' Sometimes you need to meet your customer in the middle, and that's okay. This process needs to be collaborative. Work together to find a solution, with a focus on the road forward.
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Pradeep Rao
Director, Chief Architect at Kyndryl
Negotiating fairly in project disputes means finding solutions that benefit both you and the client. Set realistic goals, explore options, and be willing to compromise. Respect your client's needs and your own boundaries for a balanced resolution.
Documenting everything is essential to resolving project disputes, as it can help you track the progress, record the agreements, and prevent future misunderstandings or conflicts. You should document everything by creating and updating a project plan, a scope statement, a change request form, a status report, and any other relevant documents. You should also share and confirm these documents with your client regularly.
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Dominic Kirby
SSCP | Director of Cloud Services, Pax8 | 🔒 CyberSec Practitioner | ☁ Modern Workplace Connoisseur | 💹 Inspired People leader | ♥ Husband, Father
If it isn't in writing (ideally in the PSA or PM tool), it didn't happen. Send call recaps and store all email comms. This helps not only make sure we document our work, it also immediately allows anyone to point out a misunderstanding so it can be fixed before it's a bigger problem.
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Pradeep Rao
Director, Chief Architect at Kyndryl
Documenting everything is like creating a project's diary. It helps track what was agreed upon, prevents misunderstandings, and provides a clear record of progress. It's a reliable way to keep everyone on the same page and avoid future conflicts.
If you cannot resolve a project dispute with your client by yourself, you may need to seek external help from a third party, such as a mediator, an arbitrator, a lawyer, or a senior manager. You should seek external help by following the appropriate procedures, protocols, and policies, as well as by maintaining a professional and respectful attitude. You should also be prepared to accept the outcome and abide by the terms of the resolution.
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Pradeep Rao
Director, Chief Architect at Kyndryl
Seeking external help in resolving project disputes with clients is like bringing in a neutral referee. It could be a mediator, arbitrator, or someone impartial. This helps ensure a fair and unbiased resolution. If things get tough, involving a third party can provide fresh insights and help both parties find common ground, keeping the project on track.
Finally, resolving a project dispute with your client is an opportunity to learn from the experience and improve your IT consulting skills. You should learn from the experience by reflecting on what went wrong, what went well, and what you can do better next time. You should also solicit and provide feedback, acknowledge and appreciate your client's cooperation, and celebrate your achievements.
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Pradeep Rao
Director, Chief Architect at Kyndryl
Learning from a project dispute is key. Reflect on successes and mistakes, gather feedback, appreciate client cooperation, and celebrate achievements. It's a chance to improve and enhance your skills for future projects.
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Dominic Kirby
SSCP | Director of Cloud Services, Pax8 | 🔒 CyberSec Practitioner | ☁ Modern Workplace Connoisseur | 💹 Inspired People leader | ♥ Husband, Father
When it's all said and done, conduct a post-mortem, after action report, debrief, or whatever you'd like to call it. See what went wrong, identify how it can be prevented later on, and implement those fixes.
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