Meeting expectations on all client projects is difficult. Issues come up. Communication breaks down. Deadlines get missed at times. Costs escalate. Bugs are found. Servers go down. Sometimes the complexity of a great idea is underestimated.

These seemingly perpetual issues make client management challenging.

To address these challenges we have several options we can employ. We can bury issues. We can solve them before the client finds out. We can address them indirectly by getting some unrelated quick wins, building credits elsewhere. We can even deflect and make excuses. To us, these approaches are tired and they only push out risk. In the end they do a disservice to the client and agency relationship.

How about trying something new?

Be a good partner for your client. Be honest with your client. Even if it means the relationship may hit rock bottom.

Hitting rock bottom with a client means that all issues and potential issues have been flushed out, documented, discussed and understood. It’s big bang with nuance. And while it may seem risky and unattractive to disclose unknown issues to clients, the reward of proactive transparency is significant. It builds trust, credibility and partnership on both sides.

After hitting rock bottom the only way to go is upwards.

Ivan Perez-Armendariz