101 Project Management Problems and How to Solve Them

73. On fee-for-service projects, how do I balance customer and organizational priorities?

When you agree to manage projects on a contract basis, you are signing up to serve two masters. You may need to walk a tightrope to keep both your own organization’s management and your paying customer happy. Managing trade-offs in such situations begins with identifying any lack of alignment, and then taking action to minimize and manage potential conflicts.

Understanding Potential Differences

In the bid phase of a fee-for-service project, carefully analyze the customer requirements in relationship to your organization’s strategies and expertise. There are many reasons to decline an opportunity to bid for work, starting with whether the job is a good fit ...