Laat voortgang zien aan de klant en wees transparant over de te nemen stappen. Ook wanneer het onzeker is of acties het gewenste resultaat opleveren.

When a project deadline is at risk, managing client expectations is crucial. Start by communicating proactively. Notify the client about the potential delay as early as possible. This allows time to discuss alternative timelines or solutions. Reframe the issue by emphasizing that the delay ensures quality and attention to detail, which benefits the project in the long run. Offer revised milestones to show progress and commitment, and provide a realistic new deadline. Stay transparent throughout the process to maintain trust and credibility. It ensures the client feels involved and informed.

I once had a project that nearly imploded because we tried to stay quiet! Learned the hard way, I'd say transparency early on builds trust and gives you wiggle room. So now, every time, I reach out to the client before they reach me. I'm happy volunteering to give them an update that shows I'm on it, like “Hey! We’ve hit a few unexpected hiccups, but we’re recalibrating to make sure it’s perfect.” Now, instead of frustration, they’ll are comfortable and know that I'm working with them, not against them.

The thought of missing a deadline gives me heartburn. OK, that's probably the low-quality chocolate in the dessert I had, but I'm blaming it on "missing a deadline". No matter how much you dislike it, deadlines will be missed – that's life! Sometimes it's because of the client, sometimes it's on you. When first establishing a project deadline, make it clear that the timeline is to be held loosely. That may not be popular guidance, but doing this saves me stress (and heartburn) later on when someone on the team gets sick, or a client reviews a document 3 days late. Communicate early and often as soon as it's looking like a deadline needs to be shifted, and explore solutions with the client/team to make up the time lost.