Communication – Keep the client informed
Whether it comes to Incident Management, Request Fulfillment or Change Request, the Response time (https://www.garudax.id/pulse/importance-response-time-filip-trajcevski/) is just the initial step.
After you have acknowledged it, do not wait for it’s resolution or implementation in order to inform the client…Unless if it is a quick fix or implementation…and again, even then inform the client properly...
Frequency matters…Of course, how often you might want to send updates depends on many factors, but in all cases there should be information send in between… For example, if it is Priority 1 incident you are working on, you might want to send status updates every 1 hour, or if it is a planned migration scheduled to last 12 hours, you might want to send status updates every 2 hours… Or, if it is a Request Fulfillment that is supposed to be completed in several days with few milestones, you might want to send status update on every milestone…
The timing is as well important… if you believe there might be a delay of the implementation, you might want to give a hint to the Client…same goes if you are sure about the delay… never wait until the last moment to share this information… and don’t be afraid to do so, as if shared in timely manner and with appropriate wording and a new/updated plan, there is great chance that Client reaction will be ok or at least not so bad… as it gives the Client a possibility for damage control…
Imagine a situation where you plan to go on vacation on Saturday, and on Monday your car won’t start. And you take it immediately to repair shop and tell them that you need the car fixed on Friday latest. Now imagine that the car repair shop informed you on Thursday afternoon that they can’t repair your car, at least not until next week, and they even knew that on Tuesday. You are basically left with only few options, none of which are good looking. Imagine how furious you will be… And imagine if they called you on Tuesday instead, when they knew, and told you the same thing. You would had few more options, like taking your car to another repair shop and get it fixed on time, in same time much less angry. And this is only one example on why timely shared information that will make a difference.
Wording as well… Many times, people forget that it is not about what information you share but how you share it… So, choose your words carefully… J … You should never write: “It will take more time as we do not know how to do it at this point”… instead, you write something like: “It will take more time as we would need to do in-depth analyzes and perform few tests in order to determine the best possible solution, before we implement it”… You have basically written the same thing, but for the Client it will have different effect… Let’s differ something here… I am not talking to not be honest with your Clients… Although the level of honesty you should demonstrate to the Clients is completely different topic to be discussed…
Similar analogy… When you take your car to a repair shop, would you leave it there, if they tell you “We don’t know what is wrong with the car, but leave it here”, with these exact words… Let’s be real, in most cases, you will take it somewhere else immediately…
Share a relevant portion of information during resolution… For example, if you resolved Client’s issue, share with them what you did in order to get it resolved, using wording which the Client will understand based on their knowledge on the matter… Don’t just say: “it is working now, period”. Spend a little time and few sentences, explaining what you did… It would not cost you anything to do so, except few minutes more spent on the problem, but will mean a lot to the Client…
Again analogy… When you pickup you fixed car from a repair shop, would you want for them to at least try to explain to you what they did to fix it? Using words that you will understand? Or in other words, will you feel ok to just go and pay the bill without someone explaining to you what they did for all that money you are going to pay?
To sum up… Communication is everything… Keeping the client in the dark for longer period of time could never be a good thing… it may look sometimes that it is, but it never is… on other hand… if you want happy Client, keep them enlightened…
