To this day, I still remember one of the most important lessons I learned about communication with clients: Pick your battles wisely.
In my previous role as a consultant for foreign corporations looking to invest in Vietnam, I often found myself navigating the complexities of client expectations. My job involved helping these companies understand the market and assess the potential of their targets. We worked on fixed contracts, which meant our compensation wasn’t based on an hourly rate like in auditing.
Most of my clients from Europe and the U.S. were quite fair in their demands. However, working with clients from South Korea, China, and Japan was a different story. They tended to push for as much detail as possible, asking questions like, “Why is this the case?” or “Can we do this instead?”
I’ll admit, there were times when I read their email requests and felt my face flush with frustration. Their demands could be overwhelming!
But my boss, a remarkably calm individual, had a different approach. He would review the requests and decide whether to allocate resources. Surprisingly, he would accommodate the clients 90% of the time, only saying “no” about 10% of the time.
One day, he told me, “Pick your battles.”
At first, I didn’t fully grasp what he meant. But as I reflected on his words, the wisdom behind them became clear.
Not every battle is worth fighting.
In the consulting and service industry, client satisfaction should always be our top priority.
Of course, there are boundaries, and that’s when we need to draw the line against scope creep. We should only choose to fight the battles that truly matter.
In the workplace, it’s not always about pulling out contracts and paperwork to argue over terms.
Every boss has their own style, but generally speaking, if a request isn’t outrageous and the team can support it, keeping the client happy is often the best strategy. After all, a small dissatisfaction can render the hard work of an entire project meaningless.
So, remember: Pick your battles wisely! It’s a lesson that can save you time, energy, and ultimately lead to stronger client relationships.
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