Oops! I Made a Mistake

In business, it is not always a hundred percent that all of your clients will be happy and satisfied with your work and deliverables. But this doesn't mean that there is friction between the two of you, or something is wrong with you. 

Disappointments may not be avoided. Some things may not be working out. Maybe you missed out a certain detail, did not make it to the deadline, or simply delivered it wrong. Or maybe you are no longer the right fit. If you are unlucky, you might just be encountering a very difficult client. 

When I first started off, well, actually until now I am still trying to figure out how things were when it comes to my delivered projects and services. There will always be things running in my head like maybe, I made a bobo, I made a mistake, or I made certain decisions that were not supposed to be.

Yes, these really happen in reality. And guess what? It’s okay. Mistakes do happen.

What matters the most is how you make things right when something goes wrong. You need  to make sure that when these things happen, you will know what to do on how to make things right.

So Savvies, I would like to share with you some key things that I do on how I handle difficult client situations that we never would want to happen, but still happens!

Raise the WHITE Flag!

There are times when you think that you have doubled checked or even triple checked your project to perfection before delivering it to your client. But when it came out, you were surprised that the branded font was actually wrong!

One of the key things that clients actually just wanted, is that everytime that there is a red flag, you raise it right away!  Remember that you are being hired as an expert in your field so you need to be always very mindful. When you see something wrong, whether big or small, at any point, you just have to tell your client right away. Just simply reach out and apologize. But make sure that you have already done the corrections! 

So the next time, you already know what to do, add it to the process to avoid it from happening again.

Never say, You don’t know! Find Solutions.

There are times when I always think that I need to have all the answers. But there are really just times that I don't know what the answer is. Clients may put your knowledge and capabilities to test. When this happens,  I just say things like “hey can I just get back to you?” or you can simply say, “let me look into it”. 

And when you say it, mean it! See how you can figure things out on how to get things done. 

As important as when you commit a mistake, whenever things that “you don’t know” arise,  just try to and see how you can figure out how to answer their concerns. Bear in mind that this is an essential part of building relationships with your client.

Bad reviews are part of life

Bad reviews are just so devastating, isn’t it? And yes, it is not all positive reviews. Of course, there will be bad reviews too!  But those bad reviews are actually a good way to know how you can improve your process each time, right? 

There will be emotions involved. You will feel bad, you might even feel negative at times, and all of this. And it’s okay. That is part of life. That is a part of business.

When all of your feelings have subsided, now it’s time to do the moves! Think straight and analyze what could have gone wrong. Then figure out how to make it right. Reach out to your client and apologize even if it is not your fault! Just tell them upfront as well and offer to correct the work if you can. 

And then next time, make sure all your works are flawless so that a bad review in your profile will be topped with a lot of good feedback!

Before you close a deal with your client, always make sure to be clear with your process, inclusions, terms, conditions and deliverables. Also, it is important that both parties are truly committed to the project and that constant communication will be maintained to ensure a smooth process.

And remember to always stay positive and have that mindset of learning from your mistakes and move forward. Bottom line is, as long as our clients are happy, our business is happy too!

If you have any questions about my Savvy tips, I’d really love to hear from you in the comments below!

Stay Savvy!

Joanna