The CRM Strain

Brad Egeland is an IT/project management consultant and author with over 25 years of software development, management and project management experience leading initiatives in manufacturing, government contracting, gaming and hospitality, retail operations, aviation and airline, pharmaceutical, start-ups, healthcare, higher education, not-for-profit, high-tech, engineering and general IT.

  Communications Management   CRM   Stakeholder Management   Talent Management  

I pride myself on excellence in the customer relationship area of project management. I certainly don’t do all things perfectly--far from it. But when it comes to managing the customer, interfacing with the customer, understanding their needs and doing whatever I can to meet those needs, I believe I am always giving 110 percent. And generally, I see that reflected in the feedback I get. That doesn’t mean that every engagement goes well.... and it certainly doesn’t mean that every customer is happy with me and that none have complained (they have, and I do tend to take it personally because of the way I always try to approach the customer).

If you find yourself in this situation or if customer relations are not your forte, what do you do to try to mend a strained relationship with a customer? Something has to be done or the customer’s frustration level and dissatisfaction will only mount. Soon you may be shown the door on the project--and even with your company if the customer starts calling your CEO (and some customers just may do that!).

The project may not be on the verge of collapse, but your relationship with the customer definitely is. What do you do? How do you get back to a “reset point” with them? How do you win them back over to your side? Based on my own knowledge of managing customers--as well as any difficulties I&rsquo…

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