Your team's expertise clashes with client feedback. How will you navigate this challenging situation?

When a team's expertise clashes with client feedback, the key is to balance professional insight with customer expectations. Start by actively listening to the client's perspective to understand their needs and concerns. Communicate your team's expertise and rationale clearly, showing how your approach aligns with the client's goals. Seek common ground through collaboration, offering flexible solutions that integrate the best of both views. Remember, it’s not about winning an argument but building trust and delivering value. The best outcomes arise from respecting both expertise and client insight.

Listen carefully after listening expertise is a well communication skill. Communication skill depends on your expertise of listening.

Listening is always the key. Customer feedback is a huge matter that should be taken with a very open mind. There can be situations where customer hasn’t understood the solution and his feedback may be biased as compared to internal team expertise but irrespective, one must try to ascertain areas of concern that the customer has indicated. Since there is a clash, it implies customer and team are not aligned and therefore account management has to act as the bridge by facilitating an unbiased, proactive and clear discussion and bring the teams together. The onus is on us to make sure customer understands, set the right expectations and deliver to customer expectations

To navigate a situation where your team's expertise clashes with client feedback, start by fostering open communication and mutual respect. Acknowledge the client's feedback, validating their perspective and showing that their input is valued. Then, have your team clearly explain their rationale using data, industry best practices, or examples to support their recommendations. Rather than viewing it as a conflict, frame it as a collaboration—invite the client to discuss their concerns and work together to find a solution that integrates both viewpoints.

Carefully review the client’s feedback to understand their concerns and expectations. Assess how this feedback aligns with your team’s expertise and identify any necessary adjustments. Propose a solution that integrates the client’s input with your professional recommendations, ensuring that both perspectives are considered.

1. Be clear and simple in your wording. // Avoid complex phrases, double meanings and jargon. 2. It's often NOT just WHAT you say, but also HOW you say it. // Watch your tone and gestures. Be calm, honest, confident, respectful, caring and friendly.

Solution aims to provide customer what he does not have hence is called a solution. Most often, pre sales expertise and also delivery expertise is aligned on SoWs which are tailored based on Providers understanding and not of the customer. We must first understand the problem, understand expectations and map it to our proposition, scale expectations to fulfil desired goals and align expectations. Usually, we push issues under the carpet, open up project management to drive change management and increase revenue by getting the good to have to a must have. Software companies have to also change approach to make sure they deliver right first time and such clash of issues will be significantly reduced.

Make sure your team collaborates with client in such a manner that it complements. Sometimes it is how you present, rather than what you present, that creates clashes. Consider your client feels project timeline is the most important parameter, however your team does not want to compromise on quality at the cost of timeline. Your prime duty is to understand client perspective and be flexible to find a balanced solution that serves client's primary objectives.

Keep the client and stakeholders up to date on key points of implementation. Make sure they ACTUALLY know what's going on (there's a difference between formally sending / reading a report and actually being in control of the situation). // To make sure of this, ask clarifying questions.

Assess the potential outcomes of integrating client feedback versus sticking to your team's expertise. Analyze how each option will affect the project’s success, including potential benefits and risks. This evaluation helps determine the best course of action that aligns with client goals while maintaining your team's professional standards. Measure and Adjust: Implement the agreed-upon solution and monitor its impact closely. Collect data on performance and client satisfaction to evaluate whether the changes meet their expectations and drive the desired results. Use this information to make further adjustments if necessary, ensuring ongoing alignment between client needs and your team's expertise.