How to Handle Client Expectations in Research

Over the past 20 years in market research, many project issues I've seen stem from mismanaging client expectations. Whether you work for a research firm, an agency, a consultancy, or any other business that involves regular client discussions, here are 4 pointers. 1️⃣ Communication—Regularly communicate, candidly ask the client how often they want updates, and never let a week go by without touching base, regardless of the project stage. Anticipate questions and answer them before they ask. A client sending an email asking, "What's the status of...?" is a failure on your end - within reason. Lack of responsiveness leads to mistrust, even more micromanagement, skepticism, and other issues that can be snuffed out by communicating openly. 2️⃣ Be Realistic—We all want to say "yes" to clients, but there are often ways to showcase your experience and expertise by being honest about what can be achieved with a given timeline and budget. The expectation could be a lack of understanding about the process or industry norms. Underpromise and overdeliver versus overpromise and underdeliver. Those honest conversations may appear inflexible, but they're often more about setting expectations and setting up both parties for long-term sustainable success. Saying "no" to this project could be a better long-term decision for the account than saying "yes" and failing with no second chance. 3️⃣ Understand Perspective—Take the time to actively listen to your client's needs, goals, and priorities. It goes beyond listening and includes asking smart (and sometimes bolder) questions to get a complete understanding. What drove the need for research? Why is receiving results within 2 weeks crucial? What happens if you don't receive results in 2 weeks? Understanding what's pushing the decisions behind the scenes can be a game changer. 4️⃣ Solutions Over Problems—Never present a problem or an issue to a client without a path forward. "This happened, but here are 3 things we can do to fix it." You need to be more than someone who relays information, you need to be a true consultant. Be able to justify each recommendation and explain the pros and cons of each path. -------------------------------------- Need MR advice? Message me. 📩 Visit @Drive Research 💻  1400+ articles to help you. ✏️ --------------------------------------

Saying "yes" feels right, but "no" can save your project. And also save your client’s trust. Last week I had a tough time with one of my clients. Firefighting with a last-minute high-priority request. → The request was outside the scope. → No one is trained to do it. → And, I need to deliver it next week. These unrealistic expectations are nothing new in project management. I had two choices to respond to this conversation: 1/ Say yes and rush to finish. 2/ Have a tough conversation and protect the project. I chose the second. It would have been easier to say: ↳ "I’ll move things around and figure it out." ↳ "It’s tight, but I’ll make it happen somehow." The first option feels easier. You want to be helpful. You want to be seen as a problem solver. But what happens when you agree to unrealistic expectations. Particularly the one that is unclear. → They lead to mistakes. → Mistakes lead to rework. → Rework leads to missed deadlines and broken trust. Here’s a better way to handle such situations: → Listen and acknowledge the urgency. → Explain the impact of rushing. → Offer a structured way to address the request. For example: "Let’s do this right, not just fast. If we rush, we’ll need to redo work later. Instead of squeezing it in, let’s reprioritize, consult the team and review the impact. Please submit a change request so we can assess it properly." Will it be uncomfortable? Yes, it will be. Will there be push back? Yes, there will be. But in the end, your client will respect the process. You’ll save your project from scope creep. The team will trust you. Difficult conversations aren’t about saying NO. They’re about setting clear expectations, so projects actually succeed.

There was one particular client who seemed to idolize the phrase, “the customer is always right." I was eager to please and win their favour, so I followed their lead without question. After all, the customer is king, right? However, it wasn’t long before the ripple effects began to show. The client's ideas, though ambitious, weren’t always practical or aligned with best practices. As we implemented their directives, problems arose, deadlines slipped, and the project veered off course. The stress was palpable. There was a moment when the client requested a major change that contradicted everything I knew. I hesitated, torn between my desire to satisfy them and my responsibility to deliver a successful outcome. I had to ask myself some serious questions and do some self-reflection: was I truly serving my client by merely agreeing with them? The next day, I requested a meeting and laid out the facts, presenting data and examples to explain why their latest request was impractical and could jeopardize the entire project. I spoke from a place of expertise and genuine concern for their success. To my surprise, I saw a flicker of realization in their eyes. We began collaborating more effectively, with mutual respect and open communication. The project regained its momentum and ultimately exceeded expectations. But more importantly, I learned a valuable lesson: customers are indeed kings, but even kings need wise counsel. As budding thought leaders, we must remember that our expertise and experience are the very reasons clients seek our help. It’s essential to listen and respect their vision, but it’s equally important to guide them with our knowledge and insights. This balance is what leads to true success. Share your own experiences of navigating client expectations in the comments below. How have you balanced respect for your vision with your professional expertise? Let’s learn from each other. Want more insights on resilient and impactful entrepreneurship? Follow Ham Sebunya for daily insights, and visit https://HamsB4.com for resources to scale your business and build your investment portfolio.