Project managers should serve the customer first and foremost

Project management is more than routing a project through a production environment, it also involves customer service.

The project manager (PM) needs to be a leader.

In his book The Art and Science of Leadership, author Afsaneh Nahavandi describes the three leadership skills. The first skill is technical. Nahavandi describes this as the knowledge of the job process, methods, tools, and techniques. The next skill is conceptual. Nahavandi writes this skill involves knowledge of problem solving, logical thinking, decision making, creativity, and reasoning in general. The final skill is interpersonal. He discusses that this is the knowledge of interpersonal relationships including communication, conflict management, negotiation, and team building.

The PM needs great interpersonal skills to deliver customer service. Communication is the external interpersonal skill. The other three aspects of interpersonal skills are done within the plant. Most think of customer service as answering a customers question (hopefully in a timely manner), give updates when scheduled or sometimes being an industry resource. However, most of the important parts of customer service are done before a PM talks to the customer.

As soon as he or she walks into the building and takes his coat off the PM needs to walk around the production floor to check on the status of jobs. The PM can find out a lot of information in a short amount of time by talking to department supervisors - and do not forget to talk to the production workers. With the information gathered by the walk the PM has information to take to the morning scheduling meeting and negotiate with the production management about what project should have a higher importance.

In the scheduling meeting the PM should not only listen for his projects but also listen to what is happening with the other projects in the plant. If there is a project in the schedule before yours and it is running behind, it could impact your customer. The PM needs to discuss these issues with his immediate supervisor and production managers about the status of the customer's job. At times this will be a very heated discussion and there may not be a lot of diplomacy used, but, in order to manage the conflict, the PM will need to use diplomacy and also understand there may not be a lot that can be done to improve the situation. If this is the case the delay should be communicated to the customer immediately.

Team building is a soft skill not every person possesses. There are PM's who only write production tickets and route the job through the plant. This may be a successful PM who has conceptual and technical skills, but lacks team building skills. To develop teams, the PM must take an interest in the people and the departments that will produce the project.

After the PM has walked about the plant and been to the scheduling meeting, she needs to update her customer. It is better if the PM calls the customer with an update rather than the customer calling for an update. The perception of calling with an update is greater than any value-added service the company can provide. Another aspect to customer service is anticipating the customer's needs.

The key to good customer service in project management is to be prepared to talk with the customer. This entails walking about the plant when the PM starts the day, going to the scheduling meetings and listening to the status of all projects in the plant. Finally, call the customer with information about the project before they call. The customer will appreciate that.

Rich Bruce is an estimator with Kubin-Nichohon in Milwaukee.

Copyright Trails Media Group Jun 2008
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