Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  March 26, 2024

Why Your Client Hates Your Value-Add Efforts

A recent conversation with a business colleague reminded me how extra efforts to delight a client can go horribly wrong.

Here’s what happened:

My colleague had an innovative idea that would uplevel their client’s team, and they persuaded the client to implement it. The team seemed confused yet receptive. Upper management’s response, however: an eyeroll.

The problem was upper management didn’t see how the new idea would impact the company’s outcomes. It had nothing to do with the details of the tactic. It was all about perception, which caused them to believe not enough was being done to achieve the stated goals. So, instead of seeing the effort as a helpful surprise, management deemed it a distraction and planted seeds of doubt about its effectiveness.

This was not a positioning issue, where my colleague didn’t explain the direct impact. It was a timing problem. This unfortunate situation happens when there’s a disconnect between your 30,000-foot view of the client’s environment (such as culture and leadership) and the client’s urgent needs. When the house is on fire, determining the cause isn’t critical.

When pitching a great idea that adds value, remember to set aside your assumptions about root causes and focus on timing. Ask yourself: Are the client’s urgent needs being met? Do they believe there’s enough progress on the ground? If not, hold back on the value-add. Timing is everything.

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