Early this morning I talked shop with one our clients at our local gym. We’ve had a project on tap for several months and it’s been tabled here and negotiated there, but now it’s GO time… they’d like the job done yesterday, and they’d like to do some of the work themselves to help save on the expense.

If you’re in the business of serving, I’m sure you’ve been through these conversations a dozen times. “If it’s going to cost that much and take that long, why wouldn’t I just do it myself?” Sure, the client will call when they run into a roadblock, but once the plan is down on paper, it looks so simple! Of course, this is often a short sighted objectionview/perspective, but how do you communicate that to a client or prospect, especially in the world of technology where most things are “just point and click?” Let me share four conversations we have with those who want to stay highly involved in their projects.

  1. We’re experienced problem solvers.
    We’ve been around the block of technology a time or two. We know many of the roadblocks to expect and how to navigate around them. We’re also prepared for the unexpected and ready to respond to it.
  2. You’ll appreciate our outside perspective.
    Your project may seem simple and help you achieve that goal you’re looking at right now, but what else should you be considering? What else might this technology initiative help you achieve, or how might it cause unwanted consequences?
  3. This is a partnership – you won’t be left out.
    I’ve never seen a project where a client feels “left out” in the end. Whether it’s helping pick the colors for their website or gathering important information to help GO LIVE day run smoothly, we’ll need the knowledge only you possess to get the job done right and on time.
  4. You’ve probably got better (and more profitable) things to do.
    While our project fee or hourly rate may be higher than you’d like to pay, what could you be doing while we get the job done? If we get something done much faster and smoother than you could do on your own, what value is there to that?

Technology businesses aren’t that much different than other service-oriented businesses. Any one of us could file our own taxes, represent ourselves in court, or change our own oil. The questions we ask ourselves and those we serve as we explore the best way to bring new solutions to life often bring out the true motivations behind the urge to do it on our own. Once these are known, it’s much simpler to build a plan that balances what can be done in-house and what’s best delegated to an experienced expert.

We’ve found a great path forward with our client. They feel involved, know they’re paying a fair price, and recognize the value our team brings to the project. We aren’t hampered, we have specific boundaries to work within, and the final result is still achievable. It’s a win-win partnership.

Chet Cromer is the president of C2IT Consulting, Inc., a Plainfield-based technology business that provides websites, mobile apps, and IT consulting/support to businesses across central Indiana. He can be reached at chetcromer@c2itconsulting.net or (317) 721-2248.