Delicate question: how to communicate a project delay to the client?

In such an unpredictable and dynamic market, any unforeseen event can cause a delay in the company’s project. This is where one of the most difficult missions for leaders begins: explaining the situation to the customer without losing credibility and trust.

In addition to causes that are beyond control, there are others that cause demands to exceed the deadline, such as imprecise scope, lack of resources and lack of team alignment.

So, was the project delayed? Check out our tips for reverse the situation and don’t disappoint the customer!

Communication, the key to success

During the development of a project, delays are inevitable. Therefore, as a leader, you must be ready to communicate with the customer, make them believe that the situation will not recur and that the team can still deliver what was promised.

If the deadline is approaching and the project is far from being completed, act honestly and explain, at once, the reasons that caused the delay. Present where development is at and involve the customer more actively in the process.

This strategy is important so that it validates what has already been done and identifies aspects that need changes. This way, your team will avoid rework and new delays.

How to benefit from a project delay

Schedule problems may seem like a nightmare at first glance, but they are good opportunities to identify flaws in the company and aspects that need improvement. So, if the project is delayed, don’t despair. It is still possible to reverse the situation through a simple step by step:

Reevaluate the scope

One of the causes of delayed schedules is poor scope definition. When there is no clear participation from customers or when only the leader’s vision is included in the strategy, it is natural for a greater number of changes to occur, for employees to become confused and for problems to appear in the quality of the final product.

If the project has been delayed, be sure to reevaluate whether the scope was well designed. It must contain not only the objectives and deadlines, but also all the resources that will be used to achieve the goals and validate all parties involved.

Consider an internal relocation

Delays are often caused by a lack of team motivation and problems with the distribution of activities. In this scenario, while one employee is overwhelmed, the other barely knows what is happening.

When faced with a project delay, evaluate how team members interact, communicate and be productive. If you consider it necessary, carry out an internal reshuffle of functions.

Some professionals are better able to deal with tight deadlines and more critical situations than others, and can bring a new vision and a new breath of fresh air so that things finally get out of place.

Invest in management tools

Delays caused by issues related to lack of organization can be easily resolved with the help of technology. Investing in resources that optimize team work and risk management saves time and money in the future.

The market already has dozens of software with Project Management functionalities that help the manager to communicate better with the team, control delivery deadlines and have a broad and detailed view of what is happening

Still finding it difficult to deal with project delays? Get to know Gipo and see how easy it is to stick to the schedule and significantly improve your company’s results!