[thelist] targeting effectively

[martin.p.burns at uk.pwcglobal.com]

Memo from Martin P Burns of PricewaterhouseCoopers

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Subject:    Re: [thelist] targeting effectively


>> What most of the people in this thread seem to be missing is what the
>point
>> behind doing work for a client is. The point is simply to deliver what
the
>> client wants. Sure you can suggest that they might actually want
something
>> else, but if the client wants something and it only is going to work in
>some [....]

>giving clients what they want is #1 on my list, but i woudln't leave out
the
>importance of giving a client what they *need* along with it.

A good proportion of my time is spent helping the client work out
a) what they need
b) what they want
c) what the difference is
d) how to ensure that (a) is a subset of (b)
e) what an appropriate solution is which delivers all (or as near all as
possible) of (a) and as much of (b) as possible within time and budget
constraints.

The important things are that
a) the client ends up with ownership of all the above
b) Delivering needs is a 'must-have'. Delivering wants is a 'should-have'.

Often, client requests are top of mind things which mask what their *real*
needs are. Part of a good agency role is to help them work through that.
This is true even if it's an internal client and agency setup.

>clients hire you because of what you know, and will appreciate if you save
>them from themselves (in the long run). i have a 60-year-old lady for a
>client who is constantly saying, 'can we do this with javascript or
>something?' just because she said javascript doesn't mean i'm doing my job
>if i only consider that solution. i usually reply with a 'sure, or some
>other way that may be better'. i think it's my responsibility to know the
>available solutions, not the client's.

Further - if you knowingly install that which is not fit for purpose
without explicitly outlining what the impact of this is, and getting an
explicit waiver from the client accepting that impact, then please let me
know who your lawyers are so I can buy stock in them. They'll be busy.

Cheers
Martin


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