Great Expectations. That succinctly summarizes what clients have, especially from the project managers. What can meet those expectations is proper client management. But how do you achieve that Holy Grail of Project Management, the one where clients are happy with all that you offer? In this changing landscape where Agile Management and other non-linear ways of working are redefining management. How can one be an effective project manager while optimal Client management with regards to their expectations? These days, Project Management is becoming less about spreadsheets, budgets and resources, and more about open communication with the client and intelligent planning. There is no magic bullet with client management, but these pointers will help any project manager avoid common pitfalls with clients. It is important for the project manager to set a positive tone with the client from the very first meeting. Lets understand the secrets to client management in three phases viz. Pre-signing, project start and project end. Client Management: Pre-Signing Know your client. When the marketing team delivers the client to your team, get a full briefing from the team. Have they promised the client anything yet? If so, what? Try and get as many specifics as possible. Even if you might know, get the complete information from the marketing team. Some extra information—the client’s style of working, even something informal such as their preferred mode of communication and work patterns and hours will help. Set your team. After the initial meeting, think about the internal team members who will work best for the project. Factor in what you know about the client. In many cases, clients want to know all about the people who will be working on their project. If you company policies allow for such information to be passed on, do so honestly. If Agile, ensure everyone’s on the same page. Actually, same word. Every IT company needs to have an employee orientation on Agile systems as they practise it. Not all Agile systems are the same and it is best that an organization’s/project’s workflow and processes are defined upfront. Agile systems mean daily meetings with the client, likely a phone call. Ensure that this is factored into the time frame as well as the scope of work. As Agile systems inherently work towards more flexibility, ensure that there is enough leeway for the same. Note: If you are using Agile management systems, you might need to do some introspection as well. This will mean your team members will be given a lot of responsibility, with a lot of collaboration, so be ready to relinquish some control. Also, choose your team accordingly. Set up a kick-off meeting.The first meeting with the client is an important one. As they say, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” Find that comfort zone with the client. Make the initial meeting comfortable for you and the client. It’s important to thrash out some of the nitty-gritty during this initial meeting.