Project Management Skills - Managing your Client

There have been numerous posts on the Business and Marketing forum about working with clients, especially those that demand a lot of attention.

So let's create a fictional video project. Company X wants a video touting their latest product, the Amazing Doohickie 5000. You agree upon a price and a timetable and present a statement of work, like the following:

Statement of Work

XYZ PDQ Productions will create a 10 minute video depicting the Amazing Doohickie 5000 (AD5K) in use and describing the features and benefits.

Milestones

Script - Due Jan 5

Video Shoot at client's headquarters - Jan 15

Video shoot at Bob's Doohickie Emporium - Jan 16

First edit - Feb 1 (up to 20 hours editing time)

Revisions from client - Feb 15

Final edit - March 1 (up to 20 hours editing time)

Additional hours of editing beyond estimate will be billed at $150/hour.

Upon approval of edit, client will receive DVD master, Betacam master and quote for duplication.

Signature__________ Date________

Here is where things can get tricky. Between "Revisions from client" and "Final Edit" there may be a number of sub-final-edits, depending upon factors which you may not know in advance, but should anticipate based upon previous experience.

What I mean is, clients may have come to you for your expertise and reputation for turning out great videos. However the client may not know exactly what they are looking for until they see your edit, which may, in fact, be not what they are looking for, but only after seeing the result of your hard work do they realize what they really wanted in the first place.

Confusing? Certainly can be. One can become frustrated, because with a paying client, you don't necessarily want to say "Hey Mr. Gherkin, I certainly understand if you do not like the direction the project is headed, but I followed your direction, and created the video you described at the kickoff meeting. Now you are telling me I've wasted my time? #%$^& !"

A more appropriate response is "Hmm, let's see if we can figure out where we strayed from your original idea. I'm sure we can salvage the project, however the budget only accounts for X number of hours, and does specify that extra time will be billed accordingly. Is this acceptable to you?"

If the client signed the agreement/contract/proposal indicating the times and charges, they more than likely will be agreeable. However if the client feels you misunderstood their vision, they may nickel and dime your time. Hey that rhymes! So does that. Sorry, let's continue.

In most cases the situation won't be so severe. More likely scenarios have to do with clients not being able to visualize their project until they see the first edit. Then they see what can be done and start brainstorming, which can result in scope creep. For example:

- Ooh, I like what you did with the text. Let's add more of that. Here's a PowerPoint.

- There is a lot of dead space, can you come up with more narration to fill the spaces? 

- You know at 4:15:08 where you have the PIP showing the AD5K being operated by the model - can you show more of the model and less of the AD5K?

- We changed the logo printed on the product - can you paint the old one out?

- I know you said the pictures we gave you are too small, but can you make them bigger anyway, we know they might not look as good.

- Can you insert these other images - they don't really add anything but they look cool.

- I saw an animation in a competitor's video, can you do the exact same thing for us? $10,000, you've got to be kidding. That's what it costs, really? Well, ok, but we might not be able to work with you again.

And so on. Scope creep, if you are not careful it can ruin a project, ruin a relationship, or if properly handled to both parties' benefit, it can make the project better. You just need to recognize that it is happening and be honest with the client, and keep the client honest too.

Another way to manage a client, especially a returning client, is to anticipate the nuances of the client's organization. If you know that once the client gives the ok on the final edit, it still needs to go through regulatory or legal approval, a process that may take months, but that the client denies takes that long, mention this as soon as possible. For example "I wanted to mention that although the project is close to completion, I know from past experiences that regulatory approval may take months. You have a big sales meeting coming up and they are probably loaded with materials to review. Your deadline is doable from my perspective, but there may be factors outside my control, and yours."

Truth be told, I have taken the initiative to go to another department and inform them of a project they have not heard about yet, so they can anticipate a future involvement in the project, rather than being surprised and left out of the loop. Large organizations sometimes forget to keep everyone in the loop. Managing your client can be subtle but can in the long run help the client.

If you help your clients help themselves, you can make them better clients. And better clients can be happier clients. And happier clients become repeat clients, and that is the key to business, making your customers come back for more.

Good luck and thanks for reading.

Mike