When The Client Is Wrong

Rule No. 1 in business: "The customer is always right." Right? Not so fast. We all have clients we must answer to, whether we're independent planners dealing with paying clients or organizational planners answering to bosses or internal "client" divisions. And invariably we are all faced with situations where the client is simply wrong. The old adage would have us do whatever the client wanted in order to make them happy. In a service business, however, that can get us into trouble. Here's how.
First, we need to remember that we're professionals at planning meetings and events, and our "clients" are not or they wouldn't have hired us. The relationship becomes one of layman and expert, with the layman looking to the expert for guidance. The layman can certainly make suggestions but should ultimately defer to the expert when necessary.

Sometimes the client gets an idea in their head, and there's no talking them out of it. You know deep down that his idea is going to adversely affect the event and will only harm the ability of the event to get across the intended message. How adversely his idea will affect the event will determine how you should respond.

For example, the client (call him Bob) may suggest something that is merely in poor taste from a design or aesthetic point of view. He thinks it'll be neat to dye the mashed potatoes the same shade of pink as on the packaging of the new product he's launching at the meeting. You know it'll be the tackiest thing anyone's ever seen, but it's not going to kill anybody. What do you do?

This is no time to be timid. Bear in mind that when the dyed potatoes don't go over very well, and they won't, Bob will most likely blame you for not warning him that his idea was not a good one. In addition, being the meeting planner, your reputation can only go south from being associated with "that pink potato idea."

Speak up. Tactfully appreciate his creativity, but warn him that with your vast experience you foresee this damaging the goals and image his company really wants to project, and nobody wants that. Do not pass judgment on the person or the idea. Keep the focus of your criticism on the idea as it applies to this particular event only. Position yourself as the guardian of the event's success and integrity. Bob may not like you, but he will respect you.

But Bob's a stubborn sort, and he's real keen on those pink potatoes. Now you've got to state your case more firmly. "Bob, as your event planner it is my strong personal opinion that the pink potatoes are not appropriate for this event, and I don't want you to come to me after the event saying I didn't warn you. I am now officially warning you. If you still want them, I'll make it happen, but it's against my advice, and I can't be responsible if people complain." You ultimately may have no choice but to oversee his pink potato fiasco but at least you've given your client sound advise and have sufficiently covered your butt.

Aesthetic miscues are one thing, however, and functional issues are another. I had a client once that was convinced she could fit 14 people at a 60-inch round table. She penciled in half a dozen over packed tables on her floor plan. When I tried to tactfully correct her, she said, "I've seen it done. Stop arguing with me and make it happen."

I tried the tactic outlined above. It didn't work. I knew that when guests began arriving it would be a nightmare trying to reconfigure the seating on the spot. I sent her a fax stating that we recommend eight to ten people at a 60-inch round but could squeeze 11 and that she was taking full responsibility for the fallout if she tried to accommodate any more. I refused to execute the event unless she signed the paper. She finally reneged. Making your clients sign off on bad ideas drives home the importance of your point.

Sometimes your client may ask you to do something that you know is a safety risk or presents some major liability exposure, such as passing out Tequila shots to the guests. How do you handle a situation like that if the event is already in progress, and there's no time to draft something in writing?

In those instances, you should pull over one or two witnesses, preferably people who do not work for the client's organization, and state your case in front of them, making darn sure the client understands the magnitude of the situation. Take the names and phone numbers of the witnesses afterwards if the client still insists on going against your advice.

Remember that when it comes to events, the client is the layman and you are the expert. Your judgment is sounder than his, and it's your job to find a way to make him accept your better judgment for the event's success. When you present your feedback as coming from an expert, it'll be easier for him to swallow. Your advice is no different than that given to him by a doctor, lawyer, or accountant. He may question it or disagree with it but ultimately he'd be crazy not to accept it.

 

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