BradEgeland.com #PMP #PPM #project #Agile #cybersecurity #planning #ai #SAFe #coronavirus #virtual #mindmap #remote #COVID19 #scaledagile #fintech #webdesign
  • Welcome
  • Contact
  • Mentoring Contact Form
  • Expertise
  • Blog
  • Find Local PM Jobs
  • Books / White Papers
  • Software / Service Reviews
  • This Week in PM
  • PM Video Series
  • Awards/Recognition
  • Templates & Downloads
  • Clients
  • Professional Services
  • Past Survey Results

Working with Unethical Project Clients

9/28/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
There’s no question that we are in the IT consulting business to make money, right? We can’t feed our family on fun and professional growth. The dollars must keep coming in – otherwise we have to start looking for something else to do.


Given that, the thought of turning down business is a hard thing to fathom – especially in this economic climate. Recovery?? We’re truly not there yet. It could be years...who knows? So, in the mean time we all struggle to remain viable while trying to pick and choose our projects and our clients – if we have that luxury – to the best of our ability. We try to only take on customers who seem reasonable, ethical, and won’t drive us insane. Does this sound familiar to you?


Hooking up with the client


Through whatever process you choose, you’ve hooked up with a potential client. It may be a situation where they found you from a professional article or professional posting or possibly you found them when you contacted their organization offering your services. Or even better, maybe they found you through a referenceable customer of yours. However it happened, it happened. And now you’re face-to-face with this potential client discussing their needs, high-level requirements and business processes and trying to determine three things: 1) is this work I can do, 2) is this a project I want to take on, and 3) is this a client I want to work with. #1 is should be fairly easy for you to answer after a brief discussion with the potential client. The harder questions to answer are #2 and #3. You don’t know much about their business and their employees yet and you don’t know much about your direct customer contact. You have no idea if they are going to be easy to work with or difficult to manage. And you can’t determine really at this point if they are ethical or unethical.


I will say this – if you have a gut feeling early on that they may be unethical or you feel uncomfortable with them…don’t move forward. I can attest to the fact that, without exception, every time I’ve had a discomfort level with a client or even a direct employer and then moved forward with them anyway, I’ve been sorry.


You’ve made the wrong choice


There will be times when you determine that you’ve made the wrong choice. You’ve decided to move forward with a client who is or is going to cause you lots of headaches. They may be unethical. They may refuse to pay for services rendered even though you’ve delivered good work. They may continually try to push scope but balk at paying more. They may call you at all hours of the day and night. Whatever the problem or frustration, you’ve realized you made a poor decision to work with them.


I had one client who I had misgivings about early on. The reason why I decided to move forward with the work is mostly due to the fact that I had maintained a relationship with this potential customer for six months trying to get to the point where they needed my consulting. When it finally happened, I ignored all of my misgivings and moved ahead. Bad call. They brought in clients and lied to them. They took them out partying and then discussed the lurid details during face-to-face client sessions with them. Too much Las Vegas fun, not enough professional work – and that’s not my style. And in the end, they abruptly ended the consulting engagement owing me over $2,000 in consulting fees. Unethical? Yes. Stupid decision on my part? Yes….I take full responsibility.


The exit strategy


So, if you find yourself in a bad client situation, what do you do? My recommendation, in order to not start bad word of mouth about your services, is to not end anything abruptly. Look for an out – possibly a key deliverable coming up or the end of a phase or milestone in the schedule. At that point, make sure you’re paid up to date, and then break it to the customer that you have another pressing engagement and you can’t move forward any further on the project.


Of course, you must first ensure that you’re not breaking something in the contract that may leave you facing legal action. If that’s the case you’ll have no choice but to continue with the project. But if you can find and out, take it. And to leave things on the best grounds possible, suggest another consulting contact as a possible replacement – even if they may be remotely located in another part of the country. At least you’ll go out offering a solution.

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author:

    Picture

    Brad Egeland


    Named the "#1 Provider of Project Management Content in the World," Brad Egeland has over 25 years of professional IT experience as a developer, manager, project manager, consultant and author.  He has written more than 7,000 expert online articles, eBooks, white papers and video articles for clients worldwide.  If you want Brad to write for your site, contact him. Want your content on this blog and promoted? Contact him. Looking for advice/menoring? Contact him.

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    November 2009

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.