How do you set clear expectations with customers?

1 Understand your customers' needs

Before you can set clear expectations, you need to understand what your customers want and need from you. This means listening to their problems, challenges, and objectives, and asking open-ended questions to clarify their requirements. You also need to understand their preferences, constraints, and expectations for communication, delivery, and feedback. By understanding your customers' needs, you can tailor your approach and offer solutions that match their expectations.

2 Define the scope and deliverables

Once you have a clear picture of your customers' needs, you need to define the scope and deliverables of your work. This means specifying what you will do, how you will do it, when you will do it, and what outcomes you will achieve. You also need to define what you will not do, and what assumptions and risks you are making. By defining the scope and deliverables, you can set clear boundaries and expectations for your work, and avoid scope creep and confusion.

3 Agree on the roles and responsibilities

Another important step to set clear expectations with customers is to agree on the roles and responsibilities of each party. This means clarifying who will do what, who will make decisions, who will provide resources, and who will be accountable for the results. You also need to agree on how you will communicate, collaborate, and escalate issues. By agreeing on the roles and responsibilities, you can establish mutual trust and respect, and ensure everyone is on the same page.

4 Document and confirm the expectations

Once you have discussed and agreed on the expectations with your customers, you need to document and confirm them. This means writing down the scope, deliverables, roles, responsibilities, and any other relevant information in a formal document, such as a contract, a proposal, or a statement of work. You also need to review the document with your customers, and ask them to sign or acknowledge it. By documenting and confirming the expectations, you can create a shared understanding and a reference point for your work.

5 Monitor and adjust the expectations

Finally, setting clear expectations with customers is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. You need to monitor and adjust the expectations as your work progresses, and as the circumstances change. This means tracking your performance, measuring your results, and soliciting feedback from your customers. You also need to communicate any changes, issues, or delays that affect the expectations, and negotiate any modifications or revisions. By monitoring and adjusting the expectations, you can ensure continuous alignment and satisfaction with your customers.

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?