DEALING WITH STUBBORN CLIENTS.

EVER MET FROWARD CLIENTS?HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THEM?

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Clients/developers being our employers tend to be insidious at certain terms.

This can be project in :

• Payments
• Quality control
• Project scope

Fellow professionals can agree that from their fair share of interactions,some can be very froward.

Firstly, achieving the milestone of being a consultant is not an easy task. There should be no room for negotiations for such `kind` charges as you worked hard for that specific reward.Secondly,you are the party with the required information and advice. You bear the responsibility and never bend to demands outside the professional order of practice. Gauge your client from the briefing stage. If the situation,from your own experience, is predicted to be erratic, abandon the mission with immediate effect. Feeling sorry for the client and being desperate for a project will mess up your career.

It’s also safe to note that clients are oftenly insecure with their finances, especially the sole financiers. This is mainly because of the ?fact that there are untrustworthy consultants we hear of everyday or meeting with wrong advisors prior to your counsel. For instance, foremen are known to tell clients that consultants ask for `unnecessary` sums of money and therefore inconvenient to approach. This messes up the psychology of the client who ends up concluding that the consultant is the fraud in his plans. This is the precursor of animosity between the client and consultants.

We recommend on 2 very clear strategies.Firstly,is to restrict the authority of the client only to the briefing stage. Don't give the client to much power because as you know, you are first protecting him against himself. Let him speak his mind and ideas as he narrates the house of his dreams but not tell you how to do your work afterwards! This is the cardinal rule of management. Apart from financing and briefing, the direct influence of the client in the project should be limited.

The young professionals are terrified of such procedure because they fear losing clients since they will miss out being part of the project notwithstanding the petty sums offered. Never fear losing the client, its part of the job. You dare charge unworthy sums, you are also an accomplice in undermining the integrity of your relevant professional designation.Furthermore,most clients are usually aware that projects are capital intensive investments and come prepared. The cries and stubbornness you experience are just mind games to salvage as much discounts as possible. It’s not real.

Secondly, embrace the use of contracts to legitimatize some of your agreements. The first item here is payments then followed by quality assurance. These payments may be as lumpsums or in milestones.You are to also agree quality of works are not to be interfered with whatsoever because incase of building failures,the consultant is held responsible. Such interference may result from the misinformation supplied by the foreman regarding reducing quantity of materials or substituting the designed quality altogether.

Having these agreements in writing helps to ensure that the client remains disciplined regardless of the situation. This will be a win win event. Remember this is an agreement between the client and consultant or contractor where necessary and must be signed in presence of a witness of common consideration from both sides.

Here is a brief checklist to carry around:

• Communicate clearly - communicate clearly and honestly about what you can and cannot do. Set realistic expectations and explain the reasons behind any limitations.
• Document everything - Keep detailed records of all communication with the client, including emails, phone calls, and meetings.
• Be patient and respectful - Dealing with a stubborn client can be frustrating. Avoid getting defensive or confrontational, as this will only escalate the situation.
• Offer solutions - try to offer solutions that meet the client's needs. Brainstorm alternative approaches that could resolve the issue and be flexible in finding solutions.
• Seek outside help - If the situation becomes too difficult to manage, consider seeking outside help from a mediator or arbitrator who can provide an unbiased perspective and help resolve the conflict.

Published by Rickfes Construction.

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