Personal experience: as we returned dissatisfied customer

customer relationship and agencies is almost no different from the personal. And those and others is important to conduct an honest dialogue, not to be afraid of conflict, recognize the error and give sincere feedback. It happens that the project turns out not so cool as we would like, and the customer is dissatisfied. We are faced with this situation and have learned from it many lessons.

As we did the burning project

A major bank has come an urgent task. It was necessary to adapt the presentation that we made for performance on other measures. The task - to alter some slides to convey new messages. The client came on Thursday, and the performance was scheduled for next Tuesday. The project we have done in a hurry, and the customer did not like the result.

What mistakes we made

1. Delay, when it was inadmissible

At first we long could not decide to take on the project or not, because before the event was only five days. Then yet agreed. We articulate the amount of work and the actions of both sides, because we knew that without the joint efforts and concrete agreements fail. We marked the understanding of tasks, deadlines, form, number of slides. We agreed when we send information and we need to send the finished

presentation.

2. We did not record agreement

We were in a hurry, so did not record agreement in the mail. The customer promised to send all the material on Friday, but did not send. We waited all day and weekends: be ready to start work at any time. But received only data on Monday.

3. We did not discuss the consequences

We did not explain to the client what would happen if time does not send the material: we do not have time to date and make a defective product. We could work for three days, but it had to carry out the day before the event. Of course, we have received comments from the client. Through pain and suffering to the Tuesday morning we took notes and sent.

We had a new iteration of edits, but the event started at nine in the morning, so the customer has used what was.

After the conference, we received feedback: Director of Marketing is very dissatisfied with us, most likely, will not recommend us and we no longer return.

The first reaction - negative and disappointment given to projects completely, but nothing good came of it. We could never do this task, understanding the time, but it took up to help the client.

How to improve the situation

1. initiated dialogue

So that there nedogovoronnostey met with the client and dismantled the case. We do not deny that the project failed. Not to persuade the customer to come back to us. Just have offered to share their experiences to themselves to learn, and the client with other artists avoid the same mistakes. After all, the result is always a general.

2. We separate fact from emotion

We gave each other a developmental feedback: honestly talked process vision and result from the position of each side. The deadlines were very tight, likely to miss something - high. We were nervous, worked at night, the materials received at the wrong time, a long time started the project. These are objective factors, and everything else - the emotions.

3. I stand corrected

Fair and mutually recognize their doorsteps in the format: "I was wrong, and if I did, it would be different." We have not identified risks without fixed agreement. More corresponded, and did not speak. The client did not have an opportunity to talk in person, but we did not insist.

4. found pros

In all, even the failed project, there is something good. It is important is to find and secure the future. We took up the challenge and gave a result that was used at the conference. He turned out not idealBut sufficient to solve the customer's problem. Presentation was unhappy with both sides, but we were able to find a good: the willingness to help, work in a short time - all this is significant for the client.

5. Talked, that could have been done differently

The client could come before the task and submit materials on time. We - all fix, indicate by when needed materials, and say that the result depends on the two sides.

Both we and the customer is shown a willingness to change. As a result, the agency is not only lost a client, but also agreed to work for the future.

6. Still we work together

Marketing Director went to another bank, and we still cooperate. To replace it came a new man, and we continue to make joint projects. As a result, the agency has received two satisfied customers instead of one disgruntled.

What have we learned

When the project ended, we reflect on it inside the team and made several conclusions:

• We undertake no longer so burning projects. And if we undertake immediately blurts out with the client that the total responsibility.
• All arrangements fix in writing.
• Always ask to give feedback at the end of key stages of the project and after its completion.