When the Client Cuts Your Face Time in Half
Are you having trouble with scheduled client meetings getting blown off?
For example: your progress update meeting with the client is scheduled for an hour, starting at 11AM. You’re hopeful it might extend to a lunch invitation.
11AM comes and goes, and the client is still in a meeting. Word comes from the client’s AA that the meeting has to move to 2PM. At 1:30, it gets kicked to 5:30 – and it’s cut to half an hour, as the client really has to leave no later than 6PM.
What do you do?
This came up in a large workshop recently; the setting was such that only a 1-minute answer was appropriate. I gave the 1-minute answer – and I’ll include the longer answer here.
Involve the Client in Problem Resolution
The quick answer is you start the meeting by saying something like, “Listen, it’s late in the day, and it sounds like yours has been hectic. Ending up in a review session may not be your idea of a good time. Would you rather reschedule?”
And then go with the client’s answer, whatever it is. If the client prefers to push on, then do so. And you’d better be willing to trim your presentation to 30 minutes, rather than trying to double-time it, or passive-aggressively running out of time.
The principle here is to make the client part of the problem resolution.
Involve the Client in Problem Definition
The longer answer is to make the client part of the problem definition – not just problem resolution. Why is it that a previously scheduled meeting slipped so drastically? That it got cut in half? That’s a discussion worth having on occasion.
Is it because the client doesn’t particularly care about an update, and it’s really your need for approval that’s driving the meeting? Are you able to specify real decisions that are needed from the client? Is this a box-ticking meeting to fulfill your internal processes? Are you trying to cover your behind? Do you know what the meeting was bumped for, and are you satisfied with the decision? Is this a meeting that neither one of you really wants, resulting in joint procrastination – and if so, what’s that about?
The answers may be perfectly innocuous, or they may uncover a deeper issue – where there’s smoke, there might be fire. The point is not about the answers – it’s about having the vulnerability and courage to re-invite the client to visit the tough questions, to define the issues jointly.
My instinct and inclination is to involve the client in the definition of the problem. Accountability is an important component of my practice. If the client behaves in this manner with me, we have a problem.
My instinct and inclination is to involve the client in the definition of the problem. Accountability is an important component of my practice. If the client behaves in this manner with me, we have a problem.
Like many sales people I was too busy in my sales career to waste my time and I always guarded against wasting my clients time too. ( Got me in a few debates with sales managers but in 23 years B2B selling I never came in under budgeted profit.) I’d be finding out how relevant the review is to them. If it can be done by conversations with others in their company. Is face-to-face required or would a quick phone call do.
Like many sales people I was too busy in my sales career to waste my time and I always guarded against wasting my clients time too. ( Got me in a few debates with sales managers but in 23 years B2B selling I never came in under budgeted profit.) I’d be finding out how relevant the review is to them. If it can be done by conversations with others in their company. Is face-to-face required or would a quick phone call do.