Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Should you inform the client of the good and bad news, or just manage the client with the good news. If you are operating a professional service, why not only bill the client with good news? Saving Changes...
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Milena IlievaProgram Manager Global accounts| VMWareVienna, Austria
Markus,
As professionals we need to build professional long-lasting relationships with clients based on trust. Whether good or bad news, as you call them, we need to have open communication with clients. It is important of course how we communicate any risks or obstacles. We need to come up with transparency on them combined with measures how overcome them. Otherwise, once we lose the trust, we will lose the client in a long run.
"When we make errors or omissions, we take ownership and make corrections promptly. When we discover errors or omissions caused by others, we communicate them to the appropriate body as soon they are discovered. We accept accountability for any issues resulting from our errors or omissions and any resulting
consequences."
We do this not just because the Code tells us to, but because it is the only way to build credibility and trust in the profession and ourselves.
Kiron Saving Changes...
Victor GinobaBusiness Analyst| HarmoniaDumfries, Va, United States
Hey Marcus,
If your client can't take the good news along with the bad, then that tells us more about his/her character. But of course, how you communicate the information is just as important a being transparent about the information. That's why you need to make sure you have a rock-solid communication plan.
Good and bad news must be informed, so the client will trust you. If you avoid telling bad news, you are really creating a risk, because the client may be surprised to discover the difficult situation late, and not have taken the preventive or corrective actions in time. Saving Changes...
Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Wonderful. Appreciate the replies everyone. Many thanks.
Marcus Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Couple comments:
A) there should be no "good" or "bad" news
1) things are normally not "good" or "bad" - there usually is a little of each in every situation. Also, the nature of the news can be subjective - what is 'good' for one may be 'bad' for the other.
2) you should be focused on the facts first, resisting an impulse to label "G" or "B".
3) both good (benefit) and bad (risk) should have been identified in the initial project risk assessment. Your report should be a confirmation of an event happening (or not as the case may be). If you have to label it - the good news, it was identified and we have a mitigation plan, the bad, it happened. Saving Changes...
Marcus UdokangProject Manager| Aivaz ConsultingCalgary, Alberta, Canada
Many thanks for the response, Peter. What you say is very true.
