How to communicate deadlines with clients and stay on top of work
While this is never encouraged and we would like to see every single ClearVoice piece hit deadlines 100% of the time, we also realize things happen. Should you find that you are maybe going to miss a deadline, there are still a number of things you can do to salvage the relationship and potential future work with the client.
Keep in mind, messaging in ClearVoice is done on the assignment, and if you are sending something that needs attention quickly, it is best practice to tag the user you are communicating with, using the @ and the user's name.
Let the client know as soon as possible
Letting your client (or support) know the day of that you won’t be completing an assignment is, unfortunately, a quick red flag for your CV. Keep in mind that clients working with you also have deadlines to hit, and a last minute notice is just plain bad practice for everyone.
Instead, stay ahead of schedule on your content and give your client a reasonable heads up. You could even offer up the potential of a future assignment at a discounted rate, keeping the relationship alive and still putting work on your table.
Explain why you can’t complete the assignment
Many times all it takes is an explanation and an apology to figure out a solution on missed deadlines. Life happens for everyone, ClearVoice team and clients included. Providing context around a missed piece goes a long way and could help in salvaging future work.
Offer up a solution
If you’re going to miss a deadline, go ahead and provide a timeframe on when exactly you will be able to complete the piece (hopefully assuming you can). Then, offer potential quick turnarounds on revisions, work in the future, or anything else that might provide value to them.
Again, hitting deadlines is always ideal in the world of content. So strive to stay on the up-to-date side of your assignments. Still, should something come up, doing the necessary things above will help soften the blow a bit. You may just impress the client with your proposed solutions.
Always feel free to contact our support team in the chat below. We would be happy to help!