Consulting 101 Series: Working Around Unrealistic Client Deadlines

In the consulting business, client expectations don’t always align with what’s realistic. So what’s a consultant to do when a client expects them to finish the project much sooner than is possible, even with full diligence on the consultant’s part?

Most consultants have faced that scenario: they do what they can to remedy the mess they’ve been handed as quickly as they can. But often, it’s not possible to meet such tight deadlines during a new job, and the consultant might find themselves unwilling to work with that client again.

For example, suppose a project manager for a software customization and implementation project was given an 180-day go-live date. The manager might quickly grasp the project’s scope and say that 180 days is impossible, but their client, a big player in aviation, had already publicly committed to having that project implemented and rolled out within six months. If the consultant missed deadlines anywhere in the project, the client’s timeline would be toast, even though it wasn’t possible for the consultant to succeed at all.

Sounds like a lose-lose situation, right? Unfortunately, there is some risk management in the consulting world, and a lot of it comes from client expectations. Fortunately, the prudent business owner can take some steps to compromise with troublesome clients to establish fair but clear expectations that will lead to quality work. Here are three steps to take.

Reset client expectations about unrealistic deadlines

Most people today have heard the phrase “the customer is always right.” And while that’s a fair outlook for someone working in the customer service department at a major retailer, it’s probably not a realistic standard for a consultant to have. It’s not unreasonable for a consultant to politely inform a client when it isn’t realistic to finish the work in their given timeframe.

Granted, a consultant doesn’t have to say something audacious like, “We absolutely can’t meet your deadline because it’s idiotic” (even if privately, they know it’s harebrained deadline). A simple heads-up that the proposed deadline is problematic (ideally before the project begins) can be enough to give them a reality check and lead to a compromise for a more realistic timetable.

Look at it this way: when a client hires a consultant, they’ve come to the consultant for their expertise. So it’s perfectly valid for the consultant to cite their expertise and talk through a more realistic plan for deadlines.

Set clear expectations about project phases

In many cases, there are different priorities within any given consulting project. There are the immediate “must-haves” of the project that need to get completed right away, and then there are the secondary “nice-to-haves” that could be forgone (at least temporarily).

For example, suppose that a process engineering consulting team has been asked to overhaul a client’s invoicing process. The project starts in September, and the client wants to have all of their customers rolled over to the new software by the end of the year. Even if every team member works overtime, the consultant knows that they don’t have the resources to roll out the software for the entire client list in that timeframe.

The consulting team could establish a compromise, though, by asking the client which customers need to be on the new invoicing software right away, and which customers are a lower priority. The client might decide that it’s fair to focus on having their ten biggest accounts rolled over to the new software by the original deadline and the rest by the end of February the following year.

It’s also prudent for a consultant to discuss a buffer time within the project. For example, they might be able to advocate for a certain date range when they need to deliver the completed project instead of a specific date.

That said, when it’s in the consultant’s control, it’s best to avoid expanding the project into so many phases that they have to spend a lot more than they originally planned. The goal of setting these expectations isn’t to upsell services, but rather to make the task a success without tons of extra costs for the client.

Get creative about hustling for tight deadlines

Sometimes, a consultant will just need to do whatever it takes to get the project done by the original deadline. It’s best not to keep the client waiting, after all, especially if the consultant agreed to that deadline.

It’s rarely fun, but sometimes, it might be necessary to work weekends and holidays to meet the deadline. Some consultants might even decide to hire a temporary team member (or a permanent new team member) to help take some of the pressure off their workload.

Balance is key here, of course. A consultant doesn’t want to hustle so much that the client starts to believe they can manage those unrealistic deadlines perpetually. At minimum, the consultant needs to communicate that these are extenuating circumstances. If a consultant isn’t careful, pushing too hard to meet an unrealistic deadline could compromise their work-life balance and lead to stress-induced burnout. But sometimes, a consultant can demonstrate a commitment to excellent service by putting in a little extra work to help make the project a timely success.

Conclusion

In the end, navigating unrealistic deadlines is a balancing act. Consultants need to deliver quality work, but they also need to meet customer needs for timelines whenever possible.

To successfully navigate that tension, clear communication is essential. Keeping communication flowing about project deliverables and deadlines can help reduce frustrations and help foster an ongoing relationship with that client. Honesty about what’s possible to complete on time, what might be doable, and what’s unrealistic can help both the client and the consultant navigate deadline challenges. 

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.