“If You’re Not Satisfied With My Work, Don’t Pay Me”

“I have a guarantee in my contract with all of my clients: if you’re not satisfied with my work, you don’t have to pay me.”

I was speaking with a seasoned transformation consultant who, after a long career with a large professional services organization, continues to consult with clients in his semi-retirement. He can be, and he is, selective about his engagements and looks for clients and opportunities where he’ll enjoy the work and most importantly make an impact. And then he told me about his guarantee.

“When sitting down with prospective clients for the first time, the trust is not there yet, they may be unsure what to make of me. So, I tell them: I do good work, work that I am proud of, and for me to be proud of my work, it has to be valuable.”

“If you’re not happy with my work, pay me half, pay me zero, pay me whatever you want that aligns with your perception of my work.”

“All I ask is that 1) You let me know if you are unsatisfied and 2) You give me a chance to fix it.”

“Wow!” I said, “What behaviors does that guarantee drive with your clients?”

He responded that it changes the client and the consultant dynamic. First, it creates more dialogue. He immediately has the right to ask the client if they are happy with his work, what is he doing well and what can he be doing better. Second, it accelerates the level of trust that the client has in him. He extends the trust that they will pay him if he does good work, and they in turn trust him more from the outset.

Now many of us may not be in a position to include such a novel guarantee in our client contracts. However, what really caught my attention was the result of his guarantee and the behaviors that it drove: increased dialogue and trust between the client and consultant. When I reflect upon the things that a consultant needs from their client in order to be successful and add value, dialogue and trust would be right up there at the top!

“Of course, I am selective about who I work with. If something does not feel right, there is tension, or something feels off, then I know it’s not the right client opportunity.”

“It’s worked well for me so far,” he adds. “And the client is more apt to sign-up with me!”

Dialogue and trust. Seems pretty simple but it’s exactly what consultants need to add value to our clients.

Contact to learn how our consultants can establish dialogue and trust with you while supporting your change effort.

Originally published at https://www.changestaffing.com on October 19, 2021.