Errors novice project manager

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In this article I will talk about several errors that I made when taking one project to manage, which led to some not very good consequences. I will also voice my recommendations on how to avoid the risks of reputational and financial losses. For an experienced and even inexperienced manager, the things I have voiced look quite obvious. And yet I see that I am not the first and not the last who steps on the rake.

Describe the situation, avoiding references to specific people. In the city of N there is a waste management company. The director of this organization has set me the task of increasing the flow of customers, identifying areas of activity: processing of hazardous waste; sale of waste (PET; carbon black; glass breakage, etc.).

I liked the field and its perspectives so much that I began to hurry to get to work. I have a good background in the field of web development (PHP, MySQL), and at that time there was a small business and a passive source of income, so I was not interested in financial conditions (but in vain). After a superficial analysis (and it is in vain), I determined the following vector of my efforts (in general terms):

• systematization of the sales department: the introduction of CRM; telephony;
• creating a new site, and, to be more precise, an online service for customers (to automate part of the work);
• identification of factors affecting the final result (analysis of the data obtained);
• audience segmentation, building marketing and sales department work. There was a marketer in the company and to the question of who your client was, I heard the answer that everything (I also answered the head of the sales department).

The company was strong (and remain until today) inertial processes. Therefore, I could not assume the final result and warned the director about it. At the initial stage, I decided to take money only for the development of the site, and to discuss further remuneration when a more or less clear process will take shape in my head. We decided to make the site on the framework (without CMS), because in the future it was planned to develop an online service. The fact that the admin will not look like a modified control system, was also, just in case, said.

We have signed a contract for the development of the site in the amount of 70 000 rubles without VAT (and in relation to my other work there is no). I started trying to set up CRM and telephony (for free), and also began to develop the site. Quickly threw a sketch of the future service, libraries and put into operation its simple part on content management (to launch into advertising and set up lead generation). According to the site creation agreement, it was necessary to prepare a library for authorization and publication of content. I created something in the style of WP (different types of posts, taxonomies and additional fields to them) and started advertising for my money. In addition, I decided to get acquainted with the client and the week he was engaged in cold calls.

As a result of my work, I received the following:

• Two lead for the processing of waste oil (about 12 tons). Contracts were signed for them (84,000 rubles);
• Lead (sanatorium) on the conclusion of the contract for recycling. On it was signed a contract in the amount of about 60 000 rubles;
• Three leads for the purchase of plastic waste HDPE at a price of 30 rubles per kilogram (before that, the company was selling HDPE from 15 to 20 rubles). But there was not a single contract, because it was not possible to supply the necessary volumes and the desire to organize it;
• Three or four leads for the purchase of broken glass for a volume of 12 thousand tons per month (13 million rubles). For the reasons stated in the previous paragraph, not a single contract was concluded;
• Two leads on the purchase of pyrolysis fuel. Delivery from 100 tons per month was required, but it turned out that the maximum capacity of the enterprise does not allow for this volume. In general, the transaction did not take place.

There were a dozen more applications in two weeks after the launch of the site. On average, one lead cost 100 rubles. The potential monthly turnover on transactions (if they were all concluded) would be between 14-15 million rubles, despite the fact that the sales department with great difficulty concluded contracts for 4 million. In this case, I'm talking about applications where customers were ready enter into a contract immediately. But none, not even a successful lead, was properly worked out by the sales and support department. During this time I had financial difficulties and had to take a three-week timeout to fix things, at the same time I continued to advertise the services of this company. A few more leads failed, but my work was considered unsatisfactory, and I was asked to return the money for the development of the site. In general, I have not begun the second stages of work.

But I did not blame my partner, but tried to analyze the situation and identify my mistakes. And now I will list them.

Communication

I talked a lot, listened a little. Having explained the concept, I should ask how exactly my partner understood the essence of cooperation, whether he clearly imagines what we are doing. My job was to manage a project to implement sales promotion measures (quantitatively and qualitatively). My partner decided that I was creating a website and setting up an advertisement.

Surface Situation Analysis

It should not be superficial. Before starting work, I had to soberly evaluate the company and its real ability to provide each type of service, its strength and allocated resources. And strictly demanding from the partner the fulfillment of his obligations (which I have not fixed on paper), as well as discuss in advance all possible risks (which are also reflected in the contract).

Contract

I concluded only one service contract, for which I decided to take the money immediately. Moreover, the development of the site was a relatively minor task (but important, after all, there were leads). Even if for some stage you are not ready to take money, it makes sense to conclude a contract (or several) for all the services that you provide and clearly spell out the responsibility of all parties, as well as the partners' understanding of their risks.

The decision to drag the project on yourself

A business whose project you undertake is not your business. You need to live on something, so your every step should be paid. In my case, I even invested my own money, brought clients, but had to return the funds for the development of the site. This is fundamentally wrong. I would call myself now in one word, but the rules of habr.com prohibit insults. Just remember, even if you really like the project, even if it is complicated, you do not need to drag it on yourself. This is not your pain. Treat everything cold and do not rush. Think about everything well.

Above, I have listed far from all the mistakes, there are inarticles, and this already applies to aspects of my personality, behavior scenarios, etc. (this is already a part of M. E. Litvak).

What did this failure teach me? I have already listed something and yet:

• It is realistic to evaluate the project, to abandon its illusions, expectations, and prejudices.
• Conclude an agreement and be attentive to its clearly defined conditions.
• Be flexible but tough.
• Remember the interests of the customer, but not to sacrifice their own.