Best Practices for Handling Demanding Clients in Agile Collaborations

Demanding clients can be a challenge to handle. In outsourcing partnerships, for example, where outcomes are expected to be top-notch, demanding clients can be stressful.

Agile collaborations are the new buzz in the software development world because of timely and quality deliverables deployed through small releases. Agile collaborations essentially entail building small, empowered, cross-functional teams, and setting them loose.

Compared to the waterfall methodology where a project is completed in linear sequential phases in which each phase depends on the deliverables of the previous phase, there is more sustainability and conveyance in agile collaborations. This is because the agile business team and developers work hand in hand, with fewer chances for requirement gaps.

However, even in agile development services that utilize efficient planning techniques using sprint planning and scrum approach, challenging situations such as additional demands in the middle of the sprint or sprint backlogs can disrupt the streamlined flow of the process.

Here are some of the best outsourcing practices that can be adopted while managing agile collaborations with challenging clients.

1. Understand the client's challenges

Clients often approach agile software development services to obtain quick IT solutions to their business and improve their market performances. As a solution provider, it is easy to skim through the challenges faced by the client in an urgency to get the task done. Hence there remains a gap between the client's problems and the solutions provided.

Agile methodologies always begin with sprint planning meetings, where the clients first share their requirements, and the tasks are arranged in the order of priorities so that the development team can converge with the needs. At this point, the root of the client's challenges must be understood to avoid any difficulties due to miscommunication in the later stages of the agile process.

2. Ensure that all members and clients stay on the same page during the entire process

Exchange questions and answers to ensure that all members remain on the same page at all stages of the process.

In the agile process, although the product owner is generally responsible for ensuring streamlined execution of all priorities defined in the backlog; all team members and clients must be involved at all stages of the solution development.

Since each solution is customized to the requirements, the right questions should be asked to the right person to avoid requirement and solution gaps between service providers and clients.

3. Let the client be aware of the capabilities and qualifications of the team

A core agile team of software developers is a self-sufficient and an all-round team of developers, testers and team co-ordinator or Scrum master. By conveying the capabilities and knowledge of the team to the client, it is easy to build trust.

The priorities and tasks in each sprint can be thus planned accordingly without any challenges during the entire execution of tasks.

4. Showcase past results

Often clients are demanding because of the uncertainty that prevails over success and completion of a task. When the demands of the client are not met, there are probabilities of the client switching to another agile consultancy service.

Educating the client of the past success based on business metrics and productivity can assist in curtailing doubts over deliverables. It also showcases the positive impact that the client's sales and profit margins can have through an integration with the solution providers.

In this growing digital age, the number of competitors in the UK as agile consultancy services in the UK are huge in number. The flexibility, productivity and quality will diminish doubts and assure clients on the efficiency.

5. Transparency through clear and effective communication

Ensuring transparent and clear communication helps clients feel part and engaged in all stages of the development process. It allows clients from pushing additional demands during each sprint, thus ensuring smooth execution of deliverables.

Conclusion

A dynamic, punctual and transparent organization wins accolades from clients, thus preventing them from being demanding. In this digital era, where numerous outsourcing companies thrive, results speak quality. Flexible contracts and technical competence are features that distinguish your company and appeal to the client.