Low knowledge level and understanding on customer side
René MeevissenDirector of PM/PMO| PSI Automotive &Industry GmbHBerlin, Berlin, Germany
Hello dear PM colleagues,
I have a general topic: Imagine you have a customer, IT project, customer has low knowledge and experience on IT in general - how to map "real" business into sofware processes - as well as in specific topics like system architecture, performance issues, database, network topology etc.
Customer is used to demand without reflecting the benefit or value adding of his demands. Experience of suppliers is not consumed, actually refused.
As consultant I would sometimes like to say "dont do it, I even dont want to take the money for it."
As project manager I have to run the project succesfully.
I try hard to build up and maintain a personel level of understanding, because the technical topics are finally not the problem. The general attitude and behaviour of such customer destroys any motivation of all team members.
How do you motivate yourself in such uncooperative environment?
How do you manage over years, to keep the spirit alive in your team?
How much "understanding" you are willing to bring in and when the point in time comes, where you maybe even stop the project?
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
First of all, while I do not know all the information, you will face this type of situations a lot. In fact, some people inside an industry (for example IT) itself use a lot of things without to understand them and talk about them because they are buzzwords. In fact, if you can find in this forum people talking about "PMI methodlogy". What I tried to use is that in my opinion the missuse of terms jeopardize the work of all of us at all level. Second, do not try to explain about something technical to business people at least you can explain it by using daily life example. Third, to deal with stakeholders, while I am not a seller, I use a selling method named "Solution Selling" or "SPIN selling" that helps me a lot to face this type of situations. You can find the method into the internet for free.
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1 reply by René Meevissen
Feb 11, 2017 7:24 AM
René Meevissen
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Hello Sergio,
Thank you for answering. Yes, the "Solution Selling" approach is actually one method which evolvs step-by-step in such customer environment. For me it seems also to be the best method to deal with this kind of customer.
Also I agree with your buzzwords critics. My team learned over the years to define even the simplest words at the very beginning of any phase, workshop or meeting. It takes minutes, but saves months.
And yes, if you can not explain the terms to a child in very simple words, the chances are high you didnt understand yourself.
I appreciate your comments.
Saving Changes...
René MeevissenDirector of PM/PMO| PSI Automotive &Industry GmbHBerlin, Berlin, Germany
Feb 11, 2017 6:29 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
...
First of all, while I do not know all the information, you will face this type of situations a lot. In fact, some people inside an industry (for example IT) itself use a lot of things without to understand them and talk about them because they are buzzwords. In fact, if you can find in this forum people talking about "PMI methodlogy". What I tried to use is that in my opinion the missuse of terms jeopardize the work of all of us at all level. Second, do not try to explain about something technical to business people at least you can explain it by using daily life example. Third, to deal with stakeholders, while I am not a seller, I use a selling method named "Solution Selling" or "SPIN selling" that helps me a lot to face this type of situations. You can find the method into the internet for free.
Hello Sergio,
Thank you for answering. Yes, the "Solution Selling" approach is actually one method which evolvs step-by-step in such customer environment. For me it seems also to be the best method to deal with this kind of customer.
Also I agree with your buzzwords critics. My team learned over the years to define even the simplest words at the very beginning of any phase, workshop or meeting. It takes minutes, but saves months.
And yes, if you can not explain the terms to a child in very simple words, the chances are high you didnt understand yourself.
I appreciate your comments.
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Feb 11, 2017 12:04 PM
Sergio Luis Conte
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You are welcome. To,add,something we use solution selling to perform elicitation for example.
Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
That is an important item Sergio brought up - the ability to have detailed conversations with the Business while not using technical terminology, buzz words, acronyms, etc. When done, that person is alienating the Business immediately. This is where the specialized experience and skills of a Business Analyst has significant value. Either way, it is a large part of one's communications skills. I understand this may over simplify your larger issue, but nonetheless, very important piece of the puzzle. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
I totally agree with Sergio and Andrew. You will always face such situations. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Feb 11, 2017 7:24 AM
Replying to René Meevissen
...
Hello Sergio,
Thank you for answering. Yes, the "Solution Selling" approach is actually one method which evolvs step-by-step in such customer environment. For me it seems also to be the best method to deal with this kind of customer.
Also I agree with your buzzwords critics. My team learned over the years to define even the simplest words at the very beginning of any phase, workshop or meeting. It takes minutes, but saves months.
And yes, if you can not explain the terms to a child in very simple words, the chances are high you didnt understand yourself.
I appreciate your comments.
You are welcome. To,add,something we use solution selling to perform elicitation for example. Saving Changes...
M. Sahir A. Shatiry, PMI-RMP, PMPSenior Hook-up and Commissioning Engineer| Petronas Carigali Sdn BhdIpoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia
Maybe you can conduct a survey with your customer to know what their expectation. Apart from that maybe we need to define what the specifications for the end products they need. Different culture of customers may produce different kind of attitude, maybe you need to look on that particular subject as well. Saving Changes...
Rene:
I've been on all sides of this question: Customer, Solution Provider and Service Delivery PM, Contract/Procurement Manager of Provider Solution.
Building relationships is where you need to begin; not selling solutions. You need to understand all sides on this situation to help your team be a better partner with your clients. Many projects I worked on partnered with other providers so they were able to offer a client a full solution from all aspects. Also, how does the customer demotivate your team???
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1 reply by René Meevissen
Feb 26, 2017 5:23 AM
René Meevissen
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Hi Naomi,
Well, the relationship is strong. Customer agrees that we fully understand the business, even have bigger experience and knowledge here and there already or even from previous business and projects bring the perfect expertise this customer would need. One problem is, that the customer is a state owned company on the edge to get ready for the market. So the motivation of single departments and individual people is against improvements or even strengthen up competitivness, cause there is no need in such things as long as the money is coming from a central war chest.
Demotivations comes e.g. by refusing solutions with totally childish and stupid explanations. Which of course everybody can easily identify are not related to a real issues. They are just pushed forward to stop the topic.
It is not everybodys thing to play political hide and seek games, when you just want to do your job.
Saving Changes...
René MeevissenDirector of PM/PMO| PSI Automotive &Industry GmbHBerlin, Berlin, Germany
Feb 12, 2017 1:54 PM
Replying to Naomi Caietti
...
Rene:
I've been on all sides of this question: Customer, Solution Provider and Service Delivery PM, Contract/Procurement Manager of Provider Solution.
Building relationships is where you need to begin; not selling solutions. You need to understand all sides on this situation to help your team be a better partner with your clients. Many projects I worked on partnered with other providers so they were able to offer a client a full solution from all aspects. Also, how does the customer demotivate your team???
Hi Naomi,
Well, the relationship is strong. Customer agrees that we fully understand the business, even have bigger experience and knowledge here and there already or even from previous business and projects bring the perfect expertise this customer would need. One problem is, that the customer is a state owned company on the edge to get ready for the market. So the motivation of single departments and individual people is against improvements or even strengthen up competitivness, cause there is no need in such things as long as the money is coming from a central war chest.
Demotivations comes e.g. by refusing solutions with totally childish and stupid explanations. Which of course everybody can easily identify are not related to a real issues. They are just pushed forward to stop the topic.
It is not everybodys thing to play political hide and seek games, when you just want to do your job.
...
1 reply by Naomi Caietti
Feb 26, 2017 1:27 PM
Naomi Caietti
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Rene:
Understand completely, there will be projects like this and then others where all hands on deck ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. It can be tough and rewarding at the same time so hang in there.
Well, the relationship is strong. Customer agrees that we fully understand the business, even have bigger experience and knowledge here and there already or even from previous business and projects bring the perfect expertise this customer would need. One problem is, that the customer is a state owned company on the edge to get ready for the market. So the motivation of single departments and individual people is against improvements or even strengthen up competitivness, cause there is no need in such things as long as the money is coming from a central war chest.
Demotivations comes e.g. by refusing solutions with totally childish and stupid explanations. Which of course everybody can easily identify are not related to a real issues. They are just pushed forward to stop the topic.
It is not everybodys thing to play political hide and seek games, when you just want to do your job.
Rene:
Understand completely, there will be projects like this and then others where all hands on deck ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. It can be tough and rewarding at the same time so hang in there. Saving Changes...
Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
From Personal Experience, A whiteboard marker and a whiteboard are your simplest tools.
Have the customer in a room with you and explain the technical jargon in Simple English using boxes.
A box will represent the entire computer system which essentially would be the IT solution you are implementing. Talk about the inputs and outputs into the system and talk about the customer's business process and how this "black Box" is going to benefit them
Once the customer indicates that he understands the significance of the box, ask them whether they would like you to elaborate on the "contents" in that box.
Then progressively elaborate and explain the other concepts in simple words. Always add a "why you are doing that" behind "what you are doing for them". Take them on the journey with you.
I can really explain the things you mentioned in very simple English
system architecture, performance issues, database, network topology
System Architecture :- You go to buy a mobile phone. What do you ask for? How much storage? how much memory? internet Enabled?how many megapixels in the camera. That is essentially the architecture of that phone. Bring that to the architecture of the system that you are building
Performance Issues:- If your mobile phone shuts down unexpectedly, if the screen freezes and keys get jammed . they are performance issues . Bring that back to the computer system that you are building . Then elaborate on their requirements . Okay if your computer system shuts down for 2 hours on the weekend for routine maintenance is that acceptable? If you lose one day of data , is that acceptable...?
Database:- How many movies do you think Netflix has? Thousands. Did you know your computer system stores x million times more data than a single movie on Netflx? etc etc
Network Topology - You have a light bulb, a switch that turns it on, somewhere all this is connected to a central panel , somehow all this load is "balanced" and the electricity is "routed", similarly our network behaves the same way. Saving Changes...
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