Pros Share How They Communicate Project Delays to Clients
Designers and remodelers tell how they keep homeowners updated and engaged when a project doesn’t follow the plan
Despite best efforts, project delays happen. Products disappear from stock, shipping takes longer than anticipated and subcontractors aren’t available when you need them. In the past year, many home professionals have experienced an increase in these types of delays, compounded by skyrocketing demand for remodeling services and the logistical realities that affect pros’ ability to work during a pandemic.
We spoke with experienced pros about their strategies for communicating project delays to clients, especially in the time of COVID-19, and the steps they’re taking to reduce delays or avoid them altogether. Keep reading for their tips, and please share your own communication strategies in the Comments.
We spoke with experienced pros about their strategies for communicating project delays to clients, especially in the time of COVID-19, and the steps they’re taking to reduce delays or avoid them altogether. Keep reading for their tips, and please share your own communication strategies in the Comments.
Be Transparent and Empathetic
Despite careful planning and preparation, project delays happen. Pros say that once it’s clear a shipment has been postponed or a subcontractor isn’t going to be able to do the job when originally planned, it’s important to let the client know as soon as possible.
“Honesty is the best policy,” Junker says. “I find that screenshotting emails or forwarding emails directly from suppliers is best. This shows good faith on my part and builds a sense of trust — I am on their side, which is always the case. My job is to do what’s best for the client, so I am upfront about everything.”
For landscape designer Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill in Tucson, Arizona, breaking the news about a delay means picking up the phone or scheduling a meeting with her clients. “I don’t ever send emails when I’m disappointing someone,” she says. “We make the hard call. We explain what happened. Then, we empathize.” Recently, when the entire team that installs pool tile for her projects came down with COVID-19, Przygoda-Montgomery had to tell a client that their pool installation would be pushed back by two months.
Though she knows these calls are going to be difficult, Przygoda-Montgomery believes that having that first conversation verbally is an opportunity to connect, build trust and discuss next steps or interim solutions. In the case of the delayed pool project, Przygoda-Montgomery was able to provide a new date for the tile installation during that initial call. Additionally, her firm gave the family a big inflatable pool to use in the meantime. “It cost us a couple of hundred dollars but they appreciated it,” she says. “We try to do things that are coming a little out of pocket to soften the blow.”
Despite careful planning and preparation, project delays happen. Pros say that once it’s clear a shipment has been postponed or a subcontractor isn’t going to be able to do the job when originally planned, it’s important to let the client know as soon as possible.
“Honesty is the best policy,” Junker says. “I find that screenshotting emails or forwarding emails directly from suppliers is best. This shows good faith on my part and builds a sense of trust — I am on their side, which is always the case. My job is to do what’s best for the client, so I am upfront about everything.”
For landscape designer Elizabeth Przygoda-Montgomery of Boxhill in Tucson, Arizona, breaking the news about a delay means picking up the phone or scheduling a meeting with her clients. “I don’t ever send emails when I’m disappointing someone,” she says. “We make the hard call. We explain what happened. Then, we empathize.” Recently, when the entire team that installs pool tile for her projects came down with COVID-19, Przygoda-Montgomery had to tell a client that their pool installation would be pushed back by two months.
Though she knows these calls are going to be difficult, Przygoda-Montgomery believes that having that first conversation verbally is an opportunity to connect, build trust and discuss next steps or interim solutions. In the case of the delayed pool project, Przygoda-Montgomery was able to provide a new date for the tile installation during that initial call. Additionally, her firm gave the family a big inflatable pool to use in the meantime. “It cost us a couple of hundred dollars but they appreciated it,” she says. “We try to do things that are coming a little out of pocket to soften the blow.”
Follow Up With Next Steps
The first chat you have with the clients about a project delay or slowdown will let them know what happened and how you’re resolving the situation and allow them to ask any initial questions about how the project will be affected. The follow-up (which pros say is best done through email) will more officially outline what comes next and when.
Przygoda-Montgomery will send a follow-up email a day or two after she’s talked with a homeowner to circle back on everything they discussed in their call; she’ll include an updated, detailed plan for the project moving forward. On the phone, “they’re caught up in the moment of being disappointed,” she says. By following up in an email, she lets the clients see what’s getting done and that the project is still progressing. “That helps them and they get excited again for that new date,” she says.
Parker likewise sees value in following up with an email as a way to maintain written documentation on projects. “It helps for ease of reference as well,” she says. “This is usually discussed in multiple ways, but I prefer written documentation in email so that there is no confusion and an easy place to reference.”
When you’re working with clients, Houzz Pro business management software can help you stay on top of your projects by keeping all of your communication documents and client approvals in one centralized place, which you can easily refer back to at any time. You can also share photos and files with clients using Houzz Pro, as well as estimates, 3D floor plans and more.
5 Strategies for Effective Follow-Up Emails to Clients and Leads
The first chat you have with the clients about a project delay or slowdown will let them know what happened and how you’re resolving the situation and allow them to ask any initial questions about how the project will be affected. The follow-up (which pros say is best done through email) will more officially outline what comes next and when.
Przygoda-Montgomery will send a follow-up email a day or two after she’s talked with a homeowner to circle back on everything they discussed in their call; she’ll include an updated, detailed plan for the project moving forward. On the phone, “they’re caught up in the moment of being disappointed,” she says. By following up in an email, she lets the clients see what’s getting done and that the project is still progressing. “That helps them and they get excited again for that new date,” she says.
Parker likewise sees value in following up with an email as a way to maintain written documentation on projects. “It helps for ease of reference as well,” she says. “This is usually discussed in multiple ways, but I prefer written documentation in email so that there is no confusion and an easy place to reference.”
When you’re working with clients, Houzz Pro business management software can help you stay on top of your projects by keeping all of your communication documents and client approvals in one centralized place, which you can easily refer back to at any time. You can also share photos and files with clients using Houzz Pro, as well as estimates, 3D floor plans and more.
5 Strategies for Effective Follow-Up Emails to Clients and Leads
Don’t Let Slowdowns Derail the Project
“What I try to do when I see [a delay] happening is to move forward on things we can move forward on,” Przygoda-Montgomery says. If the delay involves rescheduling a subcontractor, she’ll let the clients know she’s looking into getting a replacement if possible. She’ll also jump to parts of the project that are unaffected by the delay, or spend more time working through a decision or design detail with the clients than the project timeline might normally allow.
Similarly, Junker likes to keep the project moving without abandoning the original plan. “I always advise clients to have patience,” she says. “Quite often the plan A is the best plan and things are worth waiting for. Also, who’s to say that if you order plan B that it will show up any sooner.”
Junker says these conversations and recommendations often reduce frustration and offer reassurance. “It’s understandable to have some level of frustration as a client; however, keeping the eye on the end goal is key, and I often remind clients of this in moments of impatience,” she says.
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“What I try to do when I see [a delay] happening is to move forward on things we can move forward on,” Przygoda-Montgomery says. If the delay involves rescheduling a subcontractor, she’ll let the clients know she’s looking into getting a replacement if possible. She’ll also jump to parts of the project that are unaffected by the delay, or spend more time working through a decision or design detail with the clients than the project timeline might normally allow.
Similarly, Junker likes to keep the project moving without abandoning the original plan. “I always advise clients to have patience,” she says. “Quite often the plan A is the best plan and things are worth waiting for. Also, who’s to say that if you order plan B that it will show up any sooner.”
Junker says these conversations and recommendations often reduce frustration and offer reassurance. “It’s understandable to have some level of frustration as a client; however, keeping the eye on the end goal is key, and I often remind clients of this in moments of impatience,” she says.
Learn about Houzz Pro business software
Anticipate and Reduce Future Delays
In addition to efficiently communicating project delays with clients, the pros we spoke with have updated their business practices to stave off slowdowns exacerbated by the pandemic.
Gomez Palacio VI reviews all his firm’s current projects and labor availability before executing any service agreements and locking in a schedule with a new client. “If I have two other showers I’m already building and another one that is on the schedule prior to the execution of the agreement, and this agreement is for another shower, and I only have one tile worker on my roster at that time, then the greater amount of tile jobs compared to the amount of tile workers at the time of the execution is going to play a big role in how far out the new project will begin,” he says.
To minimize project delays at the start, Boxhill sends an autogenerated digital questionnaire as part of the firm’s screening process. These forms, which cover project location, existing conditions and homeowner wish lists, introduce stopping points that help to slow down project flow without turning leads away. “Sometimes they need a hydrologist or an engineer” before they’re ready to work with a landscape designer, she says. “It helps us space [clients and projects] out naturally.”
In addition to spacing out new clients, Przygoda-Montgomery has incorporated larger buffers into project timelines. “In the beginning there was panic. Now I know how to handle it. I put a fudge factor in it,” she says. For example, if a lead time for a product is eight weeks, she’ll tell the clients it’s 10 or more. “If it comes in early, 99% of the time they’re so happy,” she says.
Join the conversation: How do you communicate project delays with homeowners? Share your tips in the Comments.
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In addition to efficiently communicating project delays with clients, the pros we spoke with have updated their business practices to stave off slowdowns exacerbated by the pandemic.
Gomez Palacio VI reviews all his firm’s current projects and labor availability before executing any service agreements and locking in a schedule with a new client. “If I have two other showers I’m already building and another one that is on the schedule prior to the execution of the agreement, and this agreement is for another shower, and I only have one tile worker on my roster at that time, then the greater amount of tile jobs compared to the amount of tile workers at the time of the execution is going to play a big role in how far out the new project will begin,” he says.
To minimize project delays at the start, Boxhill sends an autogenerated digital questionnaire as part of the firm’s screening process. These forms, which cover project location, existing conditions and homeowner wish lists, introduce stopping points that help to slow down project flow without turning leads away. “Sometimes they need a hydrologist or an engineer” before they’re ready to work with a landscape designer, she says. “It helps us space [clients and projects] out naturally.”
In addition to spacing out new clients, Przygoda-Montgomery has incorporated larger buffers into project timelines. “In the beginning there was panic. Now I know how to handle it. I put a fudge factor in it,” she says. For example, if a lead time for a product is eight weeks, she’ll tell the clients it’s 10 or more. “If it comes in early, 99% of the time they’re so happy,” she says.
Join the conversation: How do you communicate project delays with homeowners? Share your tips in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
Being proactive about client communication (even if it’s to let homeowners know about the possibility of delays down the line) builds trust and helps set realistic project expectations from the start.
“I’m honest with clients in the sense that before they sign on, they are aware that nothing is guaranteed in terms of timelines, products and materials,” says Charli Junker of Your Space Our Design in St. John’s, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. “I also give examples of other project delays and standard delays versus COVID delays. The client is definitely aware of this before the project starts.”
Chicago-based interior designer Gemma Parker reiterates the value of letting clients know from the get-go what to expect in terms of timing. “We are always proactively communicating with our clients as early as possible in the process — including when we are interviewing for new projects — so that there are no surprises for our clients,” she says. “There are a lot of European and U.S. mills that have had to close due to COVID-19,” and this has affected project lead times in many cases. “Setting realistic expectations with clients is always paramount,” Parker says.
General contractor Francisco Gomez Palacio VI of Integrated Home Improvement in Dallas takes time to communicate with potential clients about project timelines even before they’ve hired him, especially if it’s a homeowner’s first time remodeling. ”Clients who have never experienced a remodel before often don’t know, through no fault of their own, that delays sometimes occur due to unforeseeable circumstances in this industry,” Gomez Palacio VI says.
The challenge, he says, is to communicate the possibility of delays without scaring off the potential client. “The best thing that we can do to reduce labor delays is to constantly grow the size of our [labor] roster while maintaining quality, and to develop relationships with material suppliers that have an edge on speed compared to their competitors.”
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