How can you work with customers who need a workaround?

The most important thing here is to ask questions, and to know what you need to find out. Do not be afraid to question your client - this is the ideal moment for you to really comprehend what it is they want to do with your product, and, most importantly WHY - so, what they really need to get out of it. If you understand the "Why", then you might even be able to identify with your client other approaches of how to achieve their needs. So, in short: Question your client, and work - with them - in understanding other possible approaches to achieve their needs with your product. Sometimes you'll end up with a entirely different configuration than the one initially prompted by your customer, but that provides them exactly what they needed.

In my experience, working with the customer closely not only to understand the problem but also understanding expectations is crucial! Being able to provide the correct solution the first time creates a strong relationship.

Workaround may entail use of other vendor products/solutions, makes sense to give your feedback on those products and the advantage or not over others, gives customers the confidence that you are driven by their requirement and are willing to consider available options.

This is where your knowledge of your client's market/operation will truly shine. You can implement day-to-day examples that your client might face during your explanation, helping them visualize how your proposed workaround would work out for them. If you have an internal system and time enough, you can even design a mock-up of said workaround, to show your client actively how their usage of such approach would look like. Also, keep tabs on your client's interest in this workaround. Be sure they're understanding your explanation - this is easier if you're on a call/voice scenario, but can also be done through e-mail - since, depending on the complexity of your proposition, any misunderstandings might make it not work out as it should.

Explain the normal process flow then explain ways we can work around that to accommodate the customer. -A clear explanation of the adjusted execution plan and expectation of results should always be agreed on and documented.

Most of the heavy work has already been done now. Ideally, make sure to answer any questions your client still has left, and to confirm how things will progress from here on out. If it involves actions on your side - then provide them with a clear roadmap, within your reality, of what will be done and when. If the next steps are to be taken by your client, not by you or any colleagues, then show them you'll be actively available in case they have any questions during the process - which they most likely will have - and proactively provide them with documentations or other sources that might assist them during the configuration process.

This should be implicitly known, but simply do not leave your client to their own fortune. This is a crucial moment, although possibly the easiest one to act on. It has been a week since the workaround was implemented, and the client has neither confirmed it worked, or presented you with any issues? Send an email to them, maybe even mention the possibility of having a meeting to review what was done and how things have progressed since then. The core idea here is to be there for your client, and to assist them. Ensure they know you - your Support team, your other client-facing departments - are all there to help them with this. If all runs well, now you've most probably built even more loyalty between your client, and your brand.

This does not need to be the last step - you should, ideally, be always looking out for opportunities where your product or service could be improved. After all, if there is a need for a workaround, then most likely there is something that isn't being offered by your product, and that at least one of your clients needs to have. With that said, after everything has been concluded, you should once again ask your client for a sincere and honest review on what they believe could be different - and how things could be improved on. Be transparent, show them you care about their feedback, and will do what you can internally to ensure they are heard, but never promise something you can't guarantee on your own.