As an IT manager, you may have to deal with clients who are not very familiar with technology or your solutions. This can lead to misunderstandings, frustrations, and conflicts that can harm your relationship and your project. How can you resolve these conflicts and ensure a smooth collaboration? Here are some tips to help you.
The first step to resolving conflicts with non-tech savvy clients is to empathize with their situation. They may have different goals, expectations, or concerns than you do. They may also have different levels of knowledge, experience, or comfort with technology. Try to see things from their point of view and acknowledge their feelings and needs. This will help you avoid judging, blaming, or dismissing them, and show them that you care about their success.
Communicating at a level that allows them to understand the project and set expectations for the benefits they can expect to realize up front helps build trust throughout the process. Presenting your project plan and allowing them to provide feedback on areas that affect their productivity is key. Always be truthful and never over promise and under deliver.
Understanding the client's perspective is crucial and is independent of the technical capabilities of the parties involved. The best way to resolve conflicts with customers is to focus on the agreed business outcome of the initiative. If the argument is unrelated to the business outcome, we should state that openly and end idle conversations. If a customer's complaint refers to their business goals, we should acknowledge that and incorporate it into the solution. I recommend avoiding purely technical considerations, as they often have little to do with achieving the objectives.
In my experience, i have deal with this several times especially when you know that the perspective of the client can disrupt the absolute effectiveness of the whole project. I have to come to their level of understanding and explain thing using a real world concepts and analysis. However, some will just be outrightly adamant about their concept.
The second step to resolving conflicts with non-tech savvy clients is to communicate effectively and respectfully. Use simple and concise language, avoid jargon and acronyms, and explain technical terms or concepts in a way that they can understand. Use examples, analogies, or visuals to illustrate your points. Listen actively to their questions, feedback, or complaints, and answer them politely and honestly. Avoid interrupting, arguing, or talking down to them, and give them time and space to process the information.
Since you are the owner of the tech workstream, allowing them to designate a team member to contribute and share perspectives goes a long way in building trust. Their collaborative involvement will enlighten the tech team in areas where they may have no visibility.
The third step to resolving conflicts with non-tech savvy clients is to educate and empower them. Provide them with relevant and useful information, resources, or training that can help them learn more about your technology or solution. Show them how it can benefit them, solve their problems, or meet their needs. Demonstrate how it works, what it can do, and how they can use it. Encourage them to ask questions, share their opinions, or give feedback. Make them feel confident and comfortable with your technology or solution.
Involving non tech users early on in the process helps to build on the early adoption principle. Quick wins and early productivity gains can permeate other areas of the project and help lead to the successful culmination of the project.
The fourth step to resolving conflicts with non-tech savvy clients is to negotiate and compromise. Sometimes, you may have to deal with conflicting or unrealistic demands, expectations, or requests from your clients. Instead of rejecting or ignoring them, try to find a middle ground that can satisfy both parties. Explain the pros and cons of different options, offer alternatives or suggestions, and highlight the value and quality of your work. Be flexible and willing to adjust your plans, scope, or timeline, but also set clear and reasonable boundaries and standards.
Humility is welcome when presenting your initial project plan. The workstreams and dependencies need to be nimble and configured in a way so as to cause minimal disruption to the business/end users. Concessions and feedback go a long way in refining the project plan and getting the team to all row in the same direction.
The final step to resolving conflicts with non-tech savvy clients is to follow up and follow through. After you have reached an agreement or delivered a solution, make sure to check in with your clients and see how they are doing. Ask them if they have any questions, issues, or feedback, and address them promptly and professionally. Show them that you are committed to their satisfaction and success, and that you are available for ongoing support or assistance. This will help you build trust, rapport, and loyalty with your clients.
Training, feedback and refinement is an iterative process that must be followed within all of the user groups affected by technology enhancents. Be respectful of the maturity level of the user groups and always be mindful of their ability to grasp the benefits associated with the new tech implementation.
When dealing with clients who may not be familiar with technical aspects, it's crucial to communicate in a way that is clear, jargon-free, and focused on addressing their concerns, while making sure that the message is received with transparency. Step-by-Step Explanation with empathic response on their queries is crucial. Providing training and support while creating a client-friendly documentation will be hellpful