Dealing with Clients

• Dealing with Clients can often catch you on a wrong foot, if you don’t know the methodologies the client follows. A successful contract requires, clear communication with the client, building a rapport such that there is no reluctance in clearing the minutest of doubt. Understanding thoroughly what methodology the client follows, help a long way being in sync with the client, in terms of trust, understanding and deliverables.

• The Client largely depends on the offshore Project Manager, for the project completion and delivery. Just in case, if you, follow an agile methodology (based on weekly or fortnightly iteration), here’s what you should keep in mind, when taking up the new task.

• Assuming that you get the task on Wednesday for the next week iteration, research on the requirement given, determine if it’s a refractor job or adding new features to the product, divide the tasks into sub-tasks . Let the team discuss, understand the requirement, discuss the queries initially with the team lead, or client.

Note: Please see the earlier article Agile Timeboxing , on how to estimate the time required, it would help you predict the approx. time for the iteration.

• Once the above task is done, hold on and rethink over the points and question, and let the entire team skimp through again

• Well, not everything is done yet, do not commit on the time decided to the client, you have to add the time spent on daily conference calls (approx. 45 mins), discussions (approx. 45 mins) , email communication (approx. 30 mins) . So if a developer works 8 hours a day, subtract the time spent on the above mentioned activities i.e. 2 hours ., which gives actual development and testing time of 6 hours per day.

• Now, this estimation seems a bit loose, but, trusts me, its realistic to the core, considering the nature of uncertainties in course of development. Over committing, can never get you far, possibly for a week or two, later it takes a toll on the developer, and eventually the entire team, consequently not delivering the agreed upon tasks, leaving no one happy – Client , you, the team and everyone associated to the project.

By Friday you have everything in place, so the you can start the developemnt task on Monday.