As a consultant or service provider, delivering great service is crucial to developing a strong reputation and expanding your business. No one can anticipate exactly what will happen when you deliver a service. Making minor adjustments to what you promised is a normal part of doing business. But occasionally your client’s demands will push you to cross the line from great service delivery into becoming a victim of scope creep.
What is scope creep? It is the gap between what you originally agreed to do for the client, often referred to as your “scope of work,” and any extra client expectations or requests that show up, or “creep in,” while you are doing the work.
Scope creep is a natural part of life for consultants. It can be a minor annoyance or a major disaster depending upon your ability to recognize and manage it.
Here are two examples:
Ted, a computer consultant, has agreed to do a customer web design for Kate. They have discussed how the web pages will look, what will be included, and where things will go. Kate has not yet written the content for the site. Ted outlines his part of the project and sets his price accordingly. He delivers his design, expecting to have it approved right away. Kate asks for minor changes in the colors and wants to add two pages and navigation tabs. Ted quickly completes the revisions and sends everything back to Kate for final approval. Now she wants to rearrange how content is placed on the page… Ted is having trouble getting final approval to complete the project. He has just encountered the “I can’t make up my mind” version of scope creep.
Marie, an organizing specialist, agrees to set up a home office for Jason, a busy executive who has just relocated and is starting a new job. Jason indicates the office just needs to be unpacked and set up, plus he would like to update his files. Marie starts unpacking and finds papers heaped in piles with no signs of organization. She sets a time to meet with Jason so they can agree on how his files will be organized. He cancels at the last minute. They set another appointment. Again, he cancels. He tells Marie to “do her best” with what is there… Marie is very concerned about this project. She cannot do a good job without input from Jason and is now victim of the “Disappearing Client” version of scope creep.
Ted and Marie both need to do a “reset” on how they are handling the project. Ted needs to let Kate know that she must make a final decision. There will be no more free revisions. Marie needs to make Jason understand that he must be more involved in how his home office is organized.
In both cases, a simple phone call or a meeting will accomplish the task. When scope creep has found its way into a project, remind yourself and your client what was originally agreed to. You may need to talk about what each of you expected to happen. State what is needed to complete the project successfully. Get agreement from your client to make it happen. If the scope creep is starting to look like another project, let your client know and offer to do the work for a fee. Remember to keep the conversation open and pleasant. Move towards an agreement that will work for both of you.
The best way to avoid scope creep is to be clear about everything before the project begins. In particular:
- Be clear about exactly what you will do.
- Clearly state your client’s responsibilities.
- Limit your client’s selections and options.
- Let your client know, up front, what work the price includes, for example, a draft and one free revision to reach the final draft.
- Explain, up front, how changes in the project will be handled.
Be clear about what you have agreed to. Keep communication open. Be ready to negotiate when necessary. Be open to increasing the paid scope of your project. Keep these points in mind and you will be well-armed to keep your customer happy with what you deliver.
