Managing Expectations: Working with People Who Want More, Better, Faster, Sooner, NOW!(Dorset House eBooks)

This is the digital version of the printed book (Copyright © 1994). People have expectations. Your clients, for example. Sometimes their expectations of you seem unreasonable. But sometimes your expectations of them seem just as unreasonable (in their eyes). The problem is that these mismatched expectations can lead to misunderstandings, frayed nerves, and ruffled feathers. More seriously, they often lead to flawed systems, failed projects, and a drain on resources. Managing Expectations shows how to identify expectations and suggests ways to gain more control of them. In today's turbulent business world, understanding and meeting your customers' expectations is indeed a challenge, and it's not hard to understand why: Expectations affect a range of interactions, including service responsiveness, service capability, product functionality, and project success. Expectations are difficult to control and impossible to turn off. However, by learning to identify and influence what your customers expect, you can dramatically improve the quality, impact, and effectiveness of your services. Contents include sections on communication skills, information gathering, policies and practices, building win-win relationships, as well as a concluding chapter on how to formulate an action plan. A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Expectations Guard Against Conflicting Messages Use Jargon with Care Identify Communication Preferences Listen Persuasively Help Customers Describe Their Needs Become an Information-Gathering Skeptic Understand Your Customers' Context Try the Solution On for Size Clarify Perceptions Set Uncertainty-Managing Service Standards When Appropriate, Just Say Whoa Build Win-Win Relationships Formulate an Action Plan  

Table of Contents:
Foreword xvii Preface xix   Introduction: The Expectations Challenge 1   SECTION 1: COMMUNICATION 9   Chapter 1: Guard Against Conflicting Messages 11 Communicating Conflict 12 Circumventing The Conflict 22 Notes 22     Chapter 2: Use Jargon With Care 23 Miscommunicating With Technical Terms 24 Miscommunicating With Familiar Language 27 Misinterpreting Customers' Language 36 Jargon-Checking Kept In Perspective 37     Chapter 3: Identify Communication Preferences 38 Communicating Status Information 39 Communicating Ideas 42 Accommodating Differences In Preferences 44 Gaining Consensus And Achieving Buy-In 46 Learning From Preferences 48 Notes 49     Chapter 4: Listen Persuasively 50 Appearing Not To Listen 51 Demonstrating Listening 53 Listening Actively 56 Helping Customers To Listen 58 Speaking The Way You Listen 59 Observing Cultural Differences 60 Learning To Listen 61 Notes 61   Section 2: Information Gathering 63   Chapter 5: Help Customers Describe Their Needs 65 Analysis With Focal Points 66 Techniques For Describing Needs 68 Types Of Focal Points 70 Pitfalls Of Focal Points 72 Thinking With Focal Points 73 Notes 75   Chapter 6: Become An Information-Gathering Skeptic 77 Learn From A Model Skeptic 78 Clarify Service Requests 78 Challenge Your Assumptions 79 Allow For Inaccuracy 82 Pose Strategic Questions 84 Learn To Think Like A Skeptic 87 Notes 88   Chapter 7: Understand Your Customers' Context 89 Categorize The Context 89 Case Study: Peak Workload 93 Focus On The Customer 97 Gather Information Regularly 102 Notes 103   Chapter 8: Try The Solution On For Size 104 Finding The Perfect Solution 104 Becoming Immersed In The Solution 106 Reflecting On A Job Completed 116 A Jacket Analysis 117 Notes 118   Section 3: Policies And Practices 119   Chapter 9: Clarify Customer Perceptions 121 Differing Perceptions 122 Performing For Satisfaction 123 Discussing Customer Perceptions 124 Gaining Feedback From Customers 127 Creating A Service Guide 132 Explaining Your Decisions 135 Involving Customers 136 Interpreting Complaints 138 Saunafaction Guaranteed 140 Notes 140   Chapter 10: Set Uncertainty-Managing Service Standards 142 Standards For Communicating "When" 143 Categories Of Standard-Setting 146 Strategies For Standard-Setting 151 Standards For Services That Go Awry 154 Solutions Guaranteed (Or Problems Returned) 157 Notes 157   Chapter 11: When Appropriate, Just Say Whoa 158 Saying Yes And Saying No 158 Saying Whoa 161 Putting Whoa Into Practice 165 Seeking No Help 173 Notes 174   Chapter 12: Build Win-Win Relationships 175 Customers As Allies 176 Techniques For Relationship Building 178 Relationship Pitfalls 186 All's Well That Mends Well 189 Notes 189   Conclusion: Formulate An Action Plan 190 Develop An Action Plan 191 Review The Three Central Issues 193 Create Your Strategy 195 Become An Expectations Manager 199 Start Anywhere 202 Notes 204   Related Reading 205 Index 209  

About the Author :
NAOMI KARTEN is president of Karten Associates, based in Randolph, Massachusetts. Before forming her business in 1984, Naomi gained extensive experience in technical, customer support, and management positions. She has presented seminars and keynotes to more than 100,000 people internationally to help them deliver superior service, improve communication, strengthen teamwork, and build strong, trusting relationships. For eight years, she was also an instructor for the Weinberg and Weinberg workshop Problem Solving Leadership (PSL). Naomi is the author of several books and eBooks, including “Communication Gaps and How to Close Them” and “Presentation Skills for Technical Professionals.” Readers have described her newsletter, Perceptions & Realities (posted at www.nkarten.com/newslet.html), as lively, informative, and a breath of fresh air.