How do you handle change requests and feedback from clients or sponsors?

1 Define the scope and process

Before you start any marketing project, you need to define the scope and the process clearly with your client or sponsor. This means setting the objectives, deliverables, timeline, budget, roles, and responsibilities of each party. You also need to establish how you will communicate, document, and approve change requests and feedback throughout the project. Having a written agreement or contract that outlines these details can help you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and scope creep later on.

2 Track and prioritize change requests and feedback

Once you have a clear scope and process, you need to track and prioritize change requests and feedback that you receive from your client or sponsor. You can use a project management tool, a spreadsheet, or a simple form to record the date, source, description, impact, and status of each request or feedback. You also need to assign a priority level to each item, based on its urgency, importance, and alignment with the project goals. This will help you decide which ones to accept, reject, or negotiate.

3 Communicate and negotiate change requests and feedback

Communication and negotiation are key skills for handling change requests and feedback. You need to acknowledge and respond to your client or sponsor promptly and professionally, and explain the rationale behind your decisions. You also need to be flexible and open to compromise, but not at the expense of your project's quality, scope, or budget. If you accept a change request or feedback, you need to update your project plan, timeline, and budget accordingly, and inform your team and other stakeholders. If you reject or negotiate a change request or feedback, you need to provide alternative solutions or suggestions that can satisfy your client or sponsor's needs or expectations.

4 Implement and review change requests and feedback

Once you have agreed on the change requests and feedback, you need to implement them effectively and efficiently. You need to assign tasks, resources, and deadlines to your team members, and monitor their progress and performance. You also need to test and review the changes before you deliver them to your client or sponsor, and ensure that they meet the quality standards and specifications. You need to document the changes and their outcomes, and report them to your client or sponsor and other stakeholders.

5 Learn and improve from change requests and feedback

Finally, you need to learn and improve from the change requests and feedback that you receive from your client or sponsor. You need to evaluate the impact of the changes on your project's results, your client or sponsor's satisfaction, and your team's efficiency and morale. You also need to identify the root causes of the changes, and how you can prevent or minimize them in the future. You need to solicit feedback from your client or sponsor, your team, and other stakeholders, and use it to improve your skills, processes, and tools as a marketing operations professional.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?