Client Service and Bad News
What should someone do with delivering bad news and providing outstanding client service? Rick Turoczy has a helpful post about what you should do. Here's what he says:
"I’ve discovered that when a client has to ask for bad news, they tend to get pissy. In fact, having to ask tends to perturb them even more than the bad news itself. So, I thought it would be helpful to share some advice that someone much wiser than I imparted to me:'Deliver bad news early and often.'
Because, lacking any information, the client makes the worst assumptions. Ignorance will cause them to make the situation much more dire than it is.
And really, when it comes right down to it, you can’t avoid delivering the bad news. And if you try, you’re only making it worse.
You’re just delaying the inevitable."
Not much more that needs to be said. I'll just note like I usually do that the driver behind this should not be a selfish motive (although there is a great business reason for doing it), but a genuine concern for your customer. And because you should seek to live by the Golden Rule. Nice job, Rick.
