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07.16.08 Risk Minimization For Managing Your Customers  By Craig Borysowich Although company line management and sales management typically also take on roles in managing the overall customer relationship (depending on the nature of the project and the customer), it is imperative for project success that the Deliverer develop and maintain a good working relationship with the customer Acceptor. The specific objectives of this activity are for the Deliverer to: • manage customer expectations,
• promote customer involvement by maintaining frequent formal and informal contact with the Acceptor to review progress and maintain open communication, • identify and resolve issues affecting the customer relationship, • monitor how well the customer's expectations for quality service delivery are being met. Risk Minimization Measures ForR Managing The Customer Common Vision There must be a clear and unambiguous understanding of the goals and objectives of the endeavour. The vision must be clear, articulated, and agreed upon. Shared Understanding There must be an understanding on both sides of the broader goals and aspirations of each organization (the bigger picture), so that the project can be placed in the proper context. Personal Relationships Successful partnerships are based on people working with people based on honesty and integrity. Positive Attitudes Everyone must be committed to making the project a success. No one can be thinking in terms of being right at the expense of being successful. Realistic Expectations Everyone must be balancing fundamental principles and ideals with reasonable expectations for the real world. See also: Managing Customer Expectations Realistic Commitments The project team must commit only to work which it can successfully deliver.
Frequent Contact There must be frequent contact and discussions with customer management and with the customer's staff. Open Communication Communications must be honest and open, based on fact, not hearsay, so that there are no surprises. Effective Risk and Issue Management There must be clear demonstration to the customer of effective risk and issue identification and problem solving. Evidence of Mutual Satisfaction Interim work products and deliverables must be evaluated with the customer to ensure that work remains aligned with the customer's required direction, and that there is evidence of mutual satisfaction. Comments About the Author: Craig Borysowich has over 18 years of Technology Consulting experience with both public and private sector clients, including ten years in Project Leadership roles. His extensive background in working with large scale, high-profile systems integration and development projects that span throughout a customer’s organization allows him to help consulting organizations world-wide to deliver better quality projects more consistently. |
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