Myth Busted: Is The Customer Always Right?

You've probably heard the old phrase in the project management certification online, "It's always the consumer who's right!" How many times have you heard it from a frustrated client or acquaintance who believes they were treated unfairly by a vendor? Consider this in the context of a project engagement when tens of thousands of dollars, if not millions of dollars, are on the line. What do you believe a paying client thinks of service when they're informed, they're not always right?

Typically, the customer either provides a clear list of requirements or you must extract them from them. In either case, they have an issue that necessitates the project you're about to embark on with them. Are they, however, correct? If you're concerned that they're on the wrong track, you should point out that they aren't. The answer is unmistakable yes. This is why:

• They may be chasing a symptom, not the real problem

It is still your obligation to ask questions when a consumer comes to you with a need, no matter how confident they are of that need. Consult the project sponsor about the requirement. Meet with the end-users to determine what they believe is the problem or requirement. The true requirement may be more complex — the consumer may merely be presenting you with a symptom of a larger issue. You may be merely putting a band-aid on the genuine problem if you don't tell the client they're wrong and answer their true need, and when that becomes apparent, you'll have a very irritated and disappointed customer on your hands.

• They may be selecting the wrong technology

Frequently, someone within the client company – potentially even the project sponsor – comes forward with a project and is certain that a particular "latest technology" is the ideal option for them. This is frequently the outcome of anything they've been taught or read. Although that technology may be exactly what is required, it is still the job of the delivery team to go into the project's precise requirements and ensure that the technology requested by the client is the best method to handle the problem. As learned in the project management certification online - when a customer pre-selects a technology for a solution, it is frequently not the optimal technology to utilize, and a red flag should be raised.

• They may be asking for add-ons they don’t need

On the delivery side, we try to avoid 'gold-plating' the solution wherever possible. We supply add-ons that aren't part of the specifications when we gold-plate, and they wind up costing us money on the delivery side and jeopardizing the project budget.

But what we're discussing here is the opposite side of the coin. The client may request add-on services or features that they do not require as part of the solution. Indeed, the solution given "as is" may fulfill their needs - for example, by delivering a requested report as part of the basic implementation, they may avoid paying additional expenses to have bespoke reports generated. On the delivery side, it is our responsibility to recognize these instances, notify the client, and endeavor to keep the customer's expenses as low as feasible.

Summary

The bottom line is that you, as the project manager, and your highly qualified project team are the true experts. It's for this reason that you've been employed to work on the project and provide a solution. The consumer may have entered the engagement believing they need 'x,' but you are informing them that they require 'y.' But it's your responsibility to inform them that and to give an end solution that fits their needs...whether it's a less expensive or more expensive answer than they expected. Then let them collaborate with you to choose the best course of action.

Want to learn more about the same? Take on the PMP Certification Toronto today!

Richard Pierce An expert in Pmi and Iiba Certifications.