One must always double check the deliverables before finally submitting it to the clients to ensure the delivery of quality inputs.

After my overseas stint at Tokyo and London, I joined one of the largest market research firms in India as the head of the department, reporting to the Senior Vice President. Being a start up division, everything had to be done from the scratch; from the building layout to the interior design even to the coffee vending machine purchase. Luckily for me in the company I joined, colleagues worked in a harmonious way (irrespective of their designation) . I received tremendous support from different departments, and even from different branch offices across India in handling our newly acquired clients .

During this time one aspect that I clearly noticed is that we love trouble shooting than planning ahead. Time and again I noticed that executives  generally go ahead and deliver the deliverables without double-checking whether that is what the client is looking for. Or, they may even sit on a certain thing, pretending that the inputs will arrive on its own. In the first instance, they do so, because they can wait for the client to come back, listing problems. Once they know the list of problems, they can correct it and send it back. In the second instance, it is more of blame game that if client doesn't send the inputs on time, executives can blame the client for the delay.

The flip side of the above is that, ultimately the sufferer will be the company to a large extent and the executive to a minor extent. One can make all the excuses, but ultimately it will be on the executive to sit and finish the task. Again; in the first instant, they need to work under pressure as the client have come back pointing issues and there is no scope for any excuses. In the second instance, it would have been in your interest to send reminders so that you could have received the inputs on time. Client shall not compromise on deadline, which again adds time pressure on you. It is in one's own interest to anticipate and act pro actively, by delaying or holding information nothing shall be achieved; only tension shall mount.

Being a new set up, we had some freedom in doing things on our own way. We have learned some lessons from these experiences and we have made a conscious decision that it is better to pre-empt rather than waiting for issues to emerge. Our executives started updating clients on the developments and issues on a regular basis. Even simple matters like upcoming holidays at our end, we intimate them in advance, normally at the start of the month and again when the holiday approaches. Anything to do with client inputs, we send them reminder e-mails one day in advance. Regarding outputs we send, we always check it thoroughly (3 stage process) to ensure that client receives quality outputs. If we have made any assumptions, our executives inform the client about the assumptions. Clients started appreciating these inputs and the reward  was the  growth of the division to a 50 member unit.

Remember, If client finds something fishy in the deliverables, it is a mistake. If you notice something and bring to the notice of the client, it is a suggestion, which the client will value.

As a leader you are planning well if you are pre-empting any contingencies... ...

Ramesh Hariharan is a director of Leadcap, a movement with a vision to build India as a nation of leaders. He writes a popular blog at www.leadcap.org/blog and he can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it \n This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it "

Issue BG81 Dec07

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