There comes a time where you have a difference of opinion from your customer. This may be due to personal taste, or it may be a misunderstanding. There are even cases where a customer insists on a path that goes against your experience, morals, ethics, or is otherwise non-negotiable. There is not one answer for all of these situations so let’s look at reasons why you should hold your ground.
You Are The Expert, But They Sign The Check
I think the toughest of these situations is when you are a paid consultant or expert. The customer has come to you for expert advice. However, they decide to ignore that information. When this occurs, do not take it personally and remember that you are an advisor, not a decider. The customer may not always be right in a technical sense, but that does not mean they are prohibited from being incorrect. In fact, a consultant that cannot accept customers going against recommendations at times will not be successful. Your role is to advise not to be all-knowing.
Time, Effort, and Compensation
When the disagreement moves away from advice and into how you do your job, then things change. This is a common challenge of IT projects. Customers want the best deal and sometimes will push to get a fixed bid or low rate based on their estimation of scope. When your experience tells you their estimates are wrong, it can be a tough call to make. Do you pass on a project that may not pay what you want or do you lock in some work? In my experience, this is where it is best to hold your ground. You always want to be flexible but giving in too much can be a lose-lose situation. They get less than they wanted while you feel taken advantage of.
