Picture this: You’re sitting in a bustling café in Hanoi, surrounded by the vibrant energy of the city. As you sip your coffee, you overhear a conversation at the next table.
A group of local businesspeople are discussing their latest negotiations with foreign clients. There’s a shared understanding, almost an unspoken rule, that when dealing with clients from developed countries, especially in the hospitality sector, you should aim to extract every possible advantage from the deal.
It’s a mindset rooted in the belief that these clients can afford it, and perhaps, it’s only fair to level the playing field.
But is this approach really the best way forward?
I take a different approach.
In this blog post, I want to share why my method has worked for me and why it might be worth considering for you as well.
The story & experience
I’ve been working with an American client for several months now. From the very beginning, I made it a priority to manage expectations clearly: always be upfront of what to expect, keep updated, be transparent, and never assume!
Drawing from my six years of experience as a strategy consultant at PwC, I learned one crucial lesson: Always manage expectations and be as transparent as possible. This is how you build trust.
After completing our first project together, we developed a solid understanding of each other’s working styles and established a mutual respect.
When he expressed interest in additional tasks in Vietnam, I was happy to assist. However, since the scope of work was relatively small, I decided to charge him by the hour.
From the outset, I was clear about my hourly and daily rates, which align with American and Canadian standards (which is considered high in Vietnamese standard). My client was comfortable with that.
In the second phase of the project, due to various small action-items, instead of estimating the total hours, I created a Google Sheet to track my hours and tasks, ensuring everything remained clear and transparent.
Juggling multiple responsibilities can make it easy to overlook certain tasks or forget how much time I spent on them. Although he didn’t request this level of detail, I felt it was important to provide it.
When I shared the sheet along with the invoice, he responded,
“Hi Minh,
I hope you know that I trust you, having said that, I appreciate your Time Tracking-Project, very nice. You are fast and accurate with your time, or you are being generous.
Thank you,”
As a result, he decided to place me on a retainer fee, meaning he would pay me a lump sum for ongoing work. This was a pleasant surprise and relieved me of the burden of tracking every minute, ultimately saving me time.
This experience reinforced my belief that when you approach your work with integrity, it pays off.
Clients notice your commitment to transparency and honesty, and in return, you often gain more than you could have anticipated.
A Personal Takeaway: The Value of Integrity
Before we part ways, I want to leave you with a thought: Integrity isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a game-changer.
Acting with integrity builds trust, strengthens relationships, and can lead to opportunities you never expected. Whether you’re negotiating a deal, managing a project, or simply chatting with colleagues, let transparency and honesty be your compass.
In a world where shortcuts are tempting, choosing integrity might seem like the longer route, but it’s the one that leads to genuine success and fulfillment. So, as you continue on your journey, remember this: Act with integrity. It truly pays off in ways you might not see coming.
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