Rules to Being Software Consultants - Dealing with Clients

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Rule #31
Do you always pencil in the next date on your last day at the client?
  v3.0 Posted at 20/10/2010 7:56 PM by system
A common mistake for developers is to say "See you later, call me sometime next month".

On your last day of consulting with a client you should always book in the next date. Be aware of the main blockage people get, which the client is saying "How about I check by calendar and get back to you?". And often this never happens.

A better approach is to reduce the risk by:
  • saying that you are only pencilling it in and it can be cancelled, and
  • bringing some urgency (by saying your calendar fills up quick)

So try something like "My calendar fills up really quick, how about I pencil you in.... How about we say 2 weeks time? Don't forget you can cancel it anytime."

pencil in
Figure: Plan ahead at the end of your day eg. "How about we pencil in my next visit, say 2 weeks time?"
 

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