What do you do if your clients' deadline expectations are unrealistic?

When my clients needing a apostille have unrealistic deadlines, I explain to them the process. Many people don’t know what it takes to obtain an apostille and they come to me for my experience and expertise. So in explaining the process and all the moving parts, they are able to understand and reassess their situation. An informed person is much easier to work with, in my opinion.

Lecture them about the importance of quality. Do not waver: Stare them down and do not blink, as you ceremoniously drill them on the importance of quality. If you blink, they may think you do not mean it. Humans are animals after all, as per Desmond Morris' "The Naked Ape". If you blink, this job is not for you, and you need to get a more suitable job. Sorry. Alternatively, just find better customers – you don't want to be working with amateurs.

Recently in spite of communicating the potential challenges in a short deadline, a client was disappointed simply because she came back with source modifications and misleading corrections suggested by presumably non professional and layman advisors. It was a big lesson and taught me to have zero tolerance towards unrealistic deadlines and rude clients.

Communicate openly with the client explaining the challenges and the process involved. Clients usually appreciate this and often would agree more reasonable deadlines.

No negotiation is possible without dialogue, and reworking deadlines is always a negotiation. If the deadline is unreasonable, then the trick is to communicate this problem without placing attribution for it on yourself or the client. Focus on the reasons why the deadline is impractical. You want your client to see you as an ally who is taking proactive steps to ensure that they are protected from external obstacles in your efforts to deliver that for which they have asked. Discuss the reasons why the deadline is impractical without laying blame, but instead simply pointing out factors that will consume more time than the client was aware. In essence, blame reality and offer to support the client in pushing the limits of that reality.

When faced with unrealistic client deadlines, communicate openly about project constraints and provide a realistic timeline. Negotiate compromises, offer alternative solutions, and document agreements. Continuously manage expectations and consider additional resources if needed. Transparency and effective communication are crucial for maintaining a positive client relationship while navigating challenging deadlines.

In my experience, most of my client’s deadline were unrealistic, the only way is to be open and transparent with the project plan with solid proofs including your maximum preparation efforts and proactiveness on each milestone.

When offering a new timeline, be sure to have references for your new delivery dates. Be sure to also detail all the numerous tasks and average time for each. This can often times lead the other party to come to their own conclusion that the deadline is unrealistic. Identify which tasks are priorities and why (is task A a prerequisite for task B?).

In my 12-year translation journey, I've encountered unrealistic deadlines from clients. I've found that open communication is key. I discuss the challenges posed by the timeframe and propose alternative solutions, such as adjusting the schedule or breaking the project into manageable phases. This proactive approach not only ensures quality but also strengthens client relationships, demonstrating reliability and professionalism. It's about finding solutions that meet both their needs and mine. Lastly, if deadlines remain inflexible, I negotiate rate increases to accommodate the added pressure. This approach ensures fairness while upholding professional standards and client satisfaction.

When deadlines are unrealistic, offering solutions is about proactive problem-solving. Instead of simply stating that a deadline can't be met, present alternative timelines along with the benefits they bring. For instance, a more extended deadline might mean more thorough testing and a higher-quality end product, which is in the client's best interest.

After explaining why the deadline/product was inadequate, using simple terms so the person understands, it is important to assert that "from my experience", and give the optimal solution and a proper deadline with a clear communication - less time means less quality.

Agree - once you’ve established whether and why the deadline is set, negotiate! If you have to go further and it’s non-negotiable, make sure you achieve the premium price required by the extra effort.

A key focus of my initial client conversations is to assess the capacity and timeline to create a strong match of both my consultancy and the client. If the client is still expressing urgency, I share my perspective that this type of thinking often leads to results that don't last, and can also be impactful on the team's spirit and well-being. I ask if there is an externalized pressure from elsewhere that is creating urgency (such as a board, market condition or key leader's pressure), and if there is a possibility of managing those conditions in the scope of our work together.

Setting boundaries is not just about saying no; it's about safeguarding the quality of your work and the well-being of your team. It involves clear communication about what is and isn't possible and sticking to those parameters. Boundaries ensure that the final product meets your standards and that the process doesn't lead to burnout.

Je re?ois souvent des propositions d'agences de traduction, pour traduire un document du vendredi 17h au lundi 9h. Cela revient à travailler le week-end, mais sans que l'agence le dise. J'explique alors que je ne travaille généralement qu'aux heures de bureau, et que mon tarif en heures supplémentaires est doublé. ??Ce tarif à 200?% vous convient-il, ou préférez-vous une livraison [jour] à [heure]???? ... bien s?r, il faut être prêt·e à ??perdre?? le projet si une autre personne l'accepte dans ces conditions. Tout dépend de la rareté de vos compétences et de votre relation avec la clientèle... [Rédigé en fran?ais, si vous me lisez dans une autre langue, c'est le résultat d'une traduction automatique dont la qualité n'est pas garantie]

Most of the time, it's funny to crunch and despite boundaries, show the client a working solution, and send a message "whatever you ask, we deliver". Afterwards companies talk to each other, and the more "impossible" things you'll do, the better for company image.

Always important to Initiate an open and honest conversation with the client about the feasibility of the deadline. Explain the factors that contribute to the timeline and express any concerns regarding the proposed schedule. Offer alternative solutions, such as extending the deadline, adjusting project scope, or allocating additional resources to meet expectations realistically. Collaboratively establish a revised timeline that balances both parties' needs and constraints.

This can also include negotiating additional resources to meet deadlines, or some additional compensation for making the work a priority over other work in your pipeline.

Negotiating terms requires a strategic approach. Understand the client's needs and propose terms that offer them value while being realistic for your team. Sometimes, this might involve phasing the project or prioritizing certain features over others. The key is to find a balance that satisfies both parties' core requirements.

Either I can do it and state clearly what I'll need to do what they ask, either their deadline is too tight. Then, I tell them they can still go away, or accept conditions from a MIT guy who knows way better these topics than you.

Maintaining quality under tight deadlines is challenging but essential. It's about implementing efficient processes and perhaps even making tough calls on what features are essential versus nice-to-have. This focus on quality assures that despite the deadline pressure, the integrity of your work remains intact.

Todo proceso a implementar dentro de la empresa deberá llevar su tiempo, traduciéndolo en una mejor calidad y una certeza en su implementación, favoreciendo al equipo y a la empresa misma, pero no se debe olvidar que la calidad necesita de estímulos peque?os y grandes en bien de mantenerla, mejorar un clima laboral y mantenerlo en bien de la calidad y de la empresa siempre se obtendrá grandes beneficios.

In very unrealistic requests in terms of deadlines I may ask clients if they prefer speed over quality. Sometimes I can go further and ask if they are aware of how long they take to read 10,000 words and if they think translating takes as long as reading. Often, they suggest splitting the assignment without even thinking that a revision work needs to be done to ensure terminological consistency (at least). I believe it’s up to translators to “train” clients and set feasible daily averages of translation work.

Quality must remain utmost priority at all times. Reinforce the importance of delivering high-quality work by highlighting the potential consequences of rushing the project to meet an unrealistic deadline. Emphasize the value of taking the necessary time to produce a product that meets or exceeds expectations, ensuring client satisfaction and long-term success. Propose strategies for maintaining quality while still adhering to the agreed-upon timeline, such as prioritizing tasks, streamlining processes, or seeking additional support if needed.

Identify those you can partner to not only bring more value but also that you can share the workload with in the event of an unexpected event.

1. There is a trade-off between the project delivery expected as of yesterday and quality expected in the solution. 2. Clarity on acceptance criteria for delivery is to be defined, discussed and agreed upon between provider and customer. 3. A certain project scope requires certain timeline for delivery. This cannot be crunched. Example : Mango tree takes 3 to 5 years to bear the fruit. 4. The project pre-requisites such as setting up the team, infrastructure to start the project takes some time. An assumption that the project would start on day SOW is signed is not right. 5. The guideline that one over-estimates what can be done in short term and under-estimates what can be done in long term needs to be understood & appreciated.

Beyond the immediate deadline, consider the long-term relationship with the client and the reputation of your business. Managing unrealistic deadlines with diplomacy and professionalism can actually strengthen client trust. They'll know you're committed to delivering high-quality work and not just rushing to meet a deadline. This approach sets a precedent for future engagements and can lead to more sustainable business practices.

For very large projects with limited capacities, consider prioritisation of particular parts of the translations. I've also had other extremes where budget was not available and I arranged to front load the translation and have payments as budget became freed up, although that approach only works if you can really block your time for a project, and then work on other projects as the payment rolls in. Probably not a situation many like to be in as it can prove very complicated from an accounting perspective.

Partiendo de algunas experiencias me gustaría compartir una donde partimos de la comunicación, para lograr los cambios, algo tan sencillo, los llamados términos comunes, en esa ocasión en las diversas áreas de una empresa hotelera cada área tiene algún concepto que sólo ellos entienden, al exponerlo a todas las áreas y cada una de ellas compartirlo con todos se alinearon y se entendieron mejor, de tal forma que al mantener la comunicación entre las áreas, mejoró la productividad y entendimiento, generando un vocabulario que se compartían entre ellos y se les brindaba a los nuevos colaboradores.