Consulting Journal: Techniques - Preventing stale reports (2)

Techniques: Preventing stale reports (2)

by David Blakey

How to prevent stale reports from becoming a problem.

[Monday 25 April 2005]

In the previous article, I wrote that you should take action if a client says that they need time before they can sign off your report. I suggested that there is a simple solution. Imagine that the report will never be signed-off. Prepare for both acceptance and rejection.

How to handle acceptance

If the client will accept your report, they will start to implement a project. This is a project that you have will have developed and that you will have described in your report. Your project will include some kind of initial set-up before it start going. You can begin to set up the project. Start to get the resources that you will need. Hold meetings. If the client accepts your report, then the project will continue.

How to handle rejection

If the client will reject your report, they should start to look for alternatives to your recommendations. You can begin to examine some of those alternatives.

How to handle either

So, you assume that you will never get a sign-off, and then you assume acceptance until you get rejection. You can open your next meeting with your client by asking for a particular resource that you need to start the project. The best resource to ask for is a person. Ask if you can get a named person to start work on the next stage. If the client agrees, then you can take the next step in getting the project running. If the client disagrees, then you should switch to handling rejection, and suggest that you might look at some other options. The best factor to change is expense. Suggest that you might look for less expensive options. If you client agrees, then you can start to develop this new assignment. If your client disagrees, then close the meeting and set up another one.

By this stage, one of three things will happen.

You can start initiating the next assignment, which would have followed the sign-off.
You can start developing a new assignment, as an alternative to your original recommendation.
You have another meeting.

If you have another meeting, then you should carry out the same plan as before. Start the meeting by asking for a particular resource to start the project. Ask for a different resource. If there is another key person, ask for them. If not, then ask for a different resource: computers or office space. If the client rejects this, switch to suggesting that you look at other options. Select another factor to change: efficiency or productivity. If your client rejects this, then close the meeting and set up another one.

The worst that can happen

The client may continue to reject your suggestions and then stop scheduling meetings. In order to do this, they will have to tell you why. The usual reason is that they do not want to work with you any more. Is this the worst thing that can happen?

No. The worst thing that can happen is that the client does not want to work with you any more but does not tell you. Instead, they may tell you that they need time before they can sign off your report. And then they will continue to delay the sign-off until you eventually lose interest. My method may seem pushy, it means that you may get the client to say what they feel earlier. It may also result in your turning the rejection around and actually getting another assignment with the client.

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