"My customers took to it really easy and they actually use it. Most of them are impressed with the leadership our organization is showing by using the system. It has made a big difference in how our customers view us."

- Travis Browne
Founder
Foundation K9

The Best Laid Plans: Using Web Based Project Tracking to Keep Your Clients Happy

In the project management world, all managers have worked on the tar-baby project that brings up crisis after crisis. The client's supplier doesn't get you the tools you need in time. A late-winter storm causes a power outage that shaves precious days out of your timeline. The IT guy gets married and takes a three-week vacation. Every step of the way, you find an obstacle that sucks up your time, frustrates your staff and delays the project.

Many managers strive to never let the vulnerable underbelly show to the client. The managers and the team keep a low profile, only writing update notes to the client when absolutely necessary, and rarely mentioning the challenges the project is facing. These managers risk facing the wrath of the client when the project deadline is not met, and the client demands to know why.

Tools such as web based project tracking software can serve as a communication pathway to keep the conversations honest. Savvy managers work with the clients to keep them up to date on the true status of the project. And the client, being aware of the true status at all times, will respect the honesty and actually become better clients.

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The beauty of an online project tracking system is that all communication can be posted and shared in a public forum. The trick to making it work for you is to use the tools to not only communicate with your team but also to keep the client in the know.

Guidelines for Communicating Bad News on a Web Based Project Tracking System

1. Be honest. If your hard drive system goes bad in the middle of the conversion, don't lie and say their disk was never delivered. A client who discovers you fabricated a story to save face will never do business with you again, but a client who recognizes you as honest and straightforward will respect you and your company.

2. Have a plan. If you have to communicate bad news, make sure you have developed a plan of action to address the issue. Don't just say, We're sorry our duplication machines overheated. Instead, post a message such as, We recently encountered a hardware problem that may delay duplication. We have new duplication machines on order to be delivered tomorrow, and we'll be back on track.

3. Involve upper management. If youve encountered a truly serious problem that will cause the client to miss their own important deadlines, ask the president of the company to post a message to the online project tracking platform. Although you've been dealing with the client from the beginning, involving your supervisors will help reassure the client that the company takes the problem very seriously.

4. Make sure the bad news is not the first status report. Throughout the project, make sure you and your team use the online forum in your project management platform to keep the client up to date. No one wants to hear nothing for a month then a sudden, "We have a problem" message from out of the blue.

The web based project tracking software is perfect for managing your client communications and ensuring that, even when things go wrong, your client will still respect you and want to keep working with you.