Excuses performers on the requirements of customers to pass the work

It happens like this: a person will order work, give money. Maybe even a contract and a task in writing will be. However, time passes, but there is no work.

What they say and what to say?

Leaders list excuses :

1. We almost did everything, but we lost the source code and now we will rewrite everything. Wait a month.

I call such excuses student. If you listen to my students, the hard drives do not serve longer than six months.

2. We have a sick chief executive.
3. I could not because dad came and turned off the computer (... a million options)

The same happens

4. We had more urgent projects.
5. You paid little, because we did not know that everything is so difficult, and now nothing can be done, you have to pay more.
6. We thought and decided that we could not cope with the task. Prepayment will be refunded.
7. Yes! all is ready! I will call tomorrow!
8. Dumb ignore ICQ, mail, cellular to hour X, when one of the other excuses is issued.
9. I have not done anything yet.
10. Yes! we will send the concept soon. How to take? what time frame we are not accustomed to limit ourselves in terms (personally heard!).

How to behave in order not to plunge into disrupting the deadlines and what to do if this happened.

Before:

0. Make a contract and a calendar plan, which spells out the responsibility of the parties for violations. On Habré is full of examples.
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1. Fix dates.
Be sure to tell the customer, for example:

Today we will not start, because it is Friday night. Let's start on Monday, plus 5 working days, so next Monday we'll show.

If you just say "in 5 days", he will wait on Wednesday. Any significant circumstances that you know and take into account, you need to voice. For example:

Yes, we will sign on Wednesday, but then we will wait for 3 days from you flash animation, so we will start only on Monday.

If you are a freelancer and work around the clock, still say everything that is important.
The customer must always know who is waiting for someone at the moment.

2. Plan.
Giving double the time margin, if you personally do the work, three-fold if your employee, fivefold if you hire someone or the work is associated with hard-to-predict risks. Believe me, the coefficients perfectly justify themselves, I use them every day and the failure to meet our deadlines is an extremely rare thing. True, we work quickly, extended terms do not shock anyone.
If you don’t know at what time you can handle it (for example, yesterday you sent TK on 100 sheets, and today you need to say the date), split up the task. For example:

Today and tomorrow I read your materials, the day after tomorrow I will be ready for a detailed conversation. Along the way, I will have questions, we will find out. You will surely know the exact date and we will do the work on time. Now I can not name the date.

3. Do not lie. Do not make promises without making sure that you really have all the possibilities ...
If you didn’t do anything for some reason, don’t say “it's almost ready”.
If you still do not know who will do some work and how, do not promise anything. Tell me

usually this operation takes 2-3 days, but now everyone is busy, I do not know yet who will do it. it turns out today and I will tell you the exact date

Better three extra calls than unfulfilled promise.

4. Trite, but not stupid. Take all possible measures to eliminate risks. It helps experience and forethought. Develop the ability to anticipate, analyze the precedents.

After :

Option 1. You do not have time.
You have been let down by people, equipment, vehicles, the dog has bitten a USB flash drive. The work is in full swing, but the deadline has passed.
Actions:
1. For 1-2 days (or weeks, if the project is large) tell the customer what the status of the case is. Something has been done, we are doing something while there are such problems. From you will not lose anything, but he is calm from your sanity and the obvious pleadings for the project.
2. At the moment when you clearly understand that there is not enough time, make a plan of action. Soberly (taking into account the coefficients), calculate how much more time is needed.
3. If the project allows it, hand over what has been done.
4. Prepare and conduct the meeting. You will have two dates in your head: when “you should be in time” (Date1) and “with all stocks” (Date2). Say the following:

We did not have time to date. The reasons are known to us, we will take measures to ensure that this is no longer the case. We do not consider it right to refer to circumstances, because you are interested in the result. Planned date of completion and delivery - Date2. We will make every effort (for example, we will work at the weekend) to do earlier, to Date1. Previously, Dates1 cannot do this without losing quality.

Option 2. You have failed.
For various reasons, the task was impossible for you. This is rare, but it happens. For example, once we were a little late with the purchase of a domain, and it was intercepted by the ill-wisher.
You must inform the customer as soon as possible. He is usually interested in reasons. A clear explanation of the reasons and presentation at the level of actions taken by him allow us to get out of the situation without harming ourselves.
If the explanation did not help, the order is broken, you must say that you are ready to bear the responsibility (not “we will return the money!”, But it is in this wording). Responsibility can be discussed, it is always a constructive conversation. The customer will be calmer by the fact that in front of him are not too much private traders, but adequate responsible people. No matter how trite, mistakes happen to everyone.
As for responsibility, even compensation for the double cost of the order is not worth it, so that the client has a persistent feeling in his head that you cannot be trusted. Estimate how much more he could order and how many colleagues to bring, and calm down. Work off.
If you have not signed any contract and disrupted work, then know that from the point of view of the law, the penalty will be from 1/365 of the refinancing rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (about 0.03%) to 3% per day of delay, depending on how the transaction is qualified . Moral damage and lost profits must be proved. Actually it is almost impossible.

upd. Related links: about the CBR refinancing rate and an example of the practice of reducing the amount of penalties to the CBR rate (thanks onthefly ) and paragraph 5 of Article 28. Consumer Protection Act

Option 3. Everything was much more difficult.
This happens, especially for programmers and SEOs. It is necessary to sort out the situation as early as possible and prepare a plan for resolving the issue. I usually prepare two options: a “zero option”, when an order is rolled up with minimal losses for both parties (priority, of course, at the customer) and a plan for revising deadlines, amounts, and often tasks, in order to meet all customer needs, even if on his charge. Again, a calm analysis of the situation and the pronunciation of the actions you have taken helps.

Never say that you did not have time because of other projects. First, you sign in the inability to plan the load, and secondly, you make it clear that there are more important things than doing this work on time.
In any case, you must act within the framework of the law, count your actions with a distant sight, and if the customer is willing to communicate with you often, assign and conduct control calls-meetings-discussions while carrying out the work.