Got called out by a client for over-promising on a timeline

I used to think saying 'we can do that in 2 weeks' was just standard sales talk until a client in Austin showed me their calendar and said 'you've already missed 3 deadlines this year.' That made me realize I was just guessing instead of actually checking my team's capacity. How do you guys handle setting realistic deadlines without losing the sale?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_patricia13h ago

I get what you're saying but I actually push back a little on this "guessing" thing. You said you were "just guessing instead of actually checking my team's capacity" and I think there's a BIG difference between guessing and making a calculated risk. Sometimes you HAVE to promise a tight timeline because that's what wins the deal, and then you figure out how to make it happen by shifting resources or working OT. I've been in business for 12 years and I've learned that if I always checked capacity first I'd lose half my sales to competitors who just say yes. The real trick is knowing WHEN you can push and when you need to be honest.

faith_smith11h ago

Exactly. @the_patricia nailed it - there's a huge gap between a wild guess and a calculated risk. I've learned to ask my team for their "best case with a buffer" and then add my own 20% wiggle room before promising the client. Saved my skin more than once. How do you usually figure out that buffer?