You’re used to managing tight projects and making snap decisions to keep the project moving forward.  The ability to make good decisions under pressure is a key characteristic of a good project manager.  So, it’s no wonder you become frustrated when the indecisiveness of others gets in your way of forwarding momentum.  And when that indecision is coming from your direct customer, it cannot only be frustrating but also very detrimental to the project.  Project delays caused by waiting on key decisions and input can cost time and money – two things that few projects have extra of.


The following is a list of a few things that you – as the project manager – and your team can do to keep the project moving and hopefully keep the customer on track and making decisions and providing information in a timely manner.



Be consistent with your communication

communication with clients


It’s important to establish some communication guidelines at the beginning of the project – preferably in the form of a formal communication plan document that requires acceptance and signoff.  Projects that lack consistent, organized and effective communication often suffer the consequences in customer satisfaction and the inability to get decisions made and action taken.  If you find that your project is lagging in the communication area, that may be what is causing your customer to be slow to make key decisions.  When confidence is lacking, decision-making is hard – that’s a simple fact.  Regroup and see to it that you begin practicing effective, timely communication and see if things turn around.




Bring the customer to the ‘inner circle’

inner circle customers


If the customer is feeling more like an outsider than part of the project team, then they may be slow to make decisions and provide information.  It could be a confidence thing, or it might have more to do with the need to exert some sort of control.  In either case, drawing them into the team by assigning tasks to them, requiring input to key deliverables, and involving them more in critical decision-making efforts can help keep their satisfaction levels higher and their participation levels at a premium.





Conduct meetings consistently

meeting


Nothing says, “I don’t care” to a customer than constantly canceling scheduled meetings.  They will come to expect inaction and disorganization from you and that’s no way to build trust.  And when trust is lacking, decision-making is hard to come by.  Be consistent – call meetings and hold them.  Create agendas and send them out in advance.  Deliver revised project schedules and work with the customer using a collaborative product like Seavus’ Project Viewer.  Promote good attendance.  Provide post meeting status updates.  Make sure everyone knows the meetings and their participation in them is critical.



Summary