Managing customer expectation
What clients really want ?
Ruslan Seredyuk
Management is changingCost
Time Scope
Quality
Cost
Scope
Time
Quality Expectations
Expectations are changing
I expect you will quickly do MVP and deliver to prod
Expectations are changing
I expect you do professional, stable and robust software, since I have hundred clients online
Are you a good customer ?
Over 1 million people view tweets about customer services every week. Roughly 80% of those tweets are negative or critical in nature.
How good is your service ?• Excellent • Professional• Good• Moderate
What are the clients expectations ?• On time• On budget• MINIMAL DISRUPTION• Relationships
Why do we fail ?
• Sales over-promised• Poor customer service• Expectations are set incorrectly• Expectations are not being managed• Account manager has no time to talk to the customer
Expectations
Outcome Disappointment
Who are our customers ?
• Business efficiency clients - insurance, banking• Cost conscious smart shoppers – IT services, electro technology• Strategies and innovation seekers – automotive, engineering • IT excellence clients - startups
What does startup need ?• Fast delivery • Less processes • Moderate prices• Ability to grow up/down fast• Ongoing communication
Smart shoppers needs• Adhere to their processes • Less questions, more work, we already thought it through. “We say
you do”• Professional, experienced engineers (not sure about managers)• Ability to select and interview your workforce
Business efficiency client• Solving their problem, not just going way they say• Professionalism of engineers and managers • Solid processes and tools• Predictability • Less disturbing
Aligning the expectations
Burn downs
IterationsThey need Scrum
PM just got Agile Coach certificate
Smart shopperstwo more Senior C++ and
we are happy.
Aligning the expectations
Burn downs
IterationsThey need Scrum
PM just got Agile Coach certificate
• standard status report• risk management• proposed schedule • work and cost breakdown.
Business efficiency clients
Aligning the expectations
Project plan
RisksStakeholders management
PM has just become PMP.
StartupsAny idea what I can have in a month ?
Team development
SRS
Charter
Everything is relative• Moderate services + High end customer = DISSAPOINTMENT• Moderate services + Low end customer = SATISFACTION
So what to do ?
Build TRUST
Be involved• Ask and listen• Be interested in customer’s business • Deliver often and in professional manner• Get a feedback• Show improvements
Relationships
• Customer wants and expects relationships• They expect somebody will contact them to say: “Hello how are you
doing?”• There’s nothing worse than over-promising and under-delivering!
Reporting
Reporting• Gives customer feeling that you do the work• Risks, Changes, Decisions –expectation about project • Estimate at completion – expectation about delivery• PM’s check point
Bad news• Be ready yourself • The sooner the better• Imagine you are the customer and get such news• Write down your explanation• Have couple of solutions in your pocket • Tell the truth • Take the responsibility • Or at least have a clear vision how customer CAN HELP• Watch your mouth and emotions• Listen
Arguments with the customer• Customers are always right, even if they are not• Understand why do you do that?• What can you get at the end ?• Can you turn it into constructive discussion?
Arguments with the customer. Summary
You win – you lose THEM
You lose – you lose
CASES
OnTime - OnBudget or Happy Customer• OnTime, OnBudget – important but short term win• Happy customer – crucial and long term win
Case:Project expected duration 3 months. Real duration 15 monthsReal budget vs Expected – 3xHappy customer due to the correct expectation management
Case: GPU Startup
• Customer wanted fast GPU software• Had requirements• Selected us as GPU experts• Informed us that won a grant from government
Case StartupOur Expectations:• GPU – a lot of $$$• Startup – has funding• Easy on spending, T&M
Customer expectations:• Need was a speedup, not GPU• Fast delivery• High complexity outsourcing • Fixed bid
Case. Results• All development went to us• Customer brought his friends who became our customers• Comparing to initial bid – we have got 5x more sales with the
customer • We are friends
Summary• Meeting expectations is not enough, you have to manage them• Understand your own expectations• Understand who your customers are and align with their expectations• Maintain relationships
QUALITY OF EXPECTATIONS DETERMINE
THE QUALITY OF OUR ACTIONS
Q&A
[email protected]://seredyukr.wordpress.com/@rulllesss