Happy Friday,
This email is a bit different than others in that I'm going to share a bit about an engagement that recently wrapped up. I think it's interesting, and it shows a bit about how I work with clients in a way that is different than most other consultants.
A client I worked with in the past wanted me to bring TDD (Test-Driven Development) to their teams in hopes that it would spark a number of changes. We talked through what changes, how we'd observe them, and why this really matters now. I provided a set of options, provided prices, and we went from there.
Some of the things we chose to be indicators of success were:
- Direct observations by me, the consultant
- Direct observations by leadership
- 20% Reduction in Code Review
- 20% Reduction in QA
- Observations of code quality by myself and lead engineers
- Feedback from the teams
There were, of course, other things we both cared about, but these were the specific items we decided needed to be in writing.
At the end of the six months, I had a call to summarize the results. While the CTO and I agreed we were successful, we also weren't done yet.
So what happened next? Well, most consultants would put together a new proposal and contract.
I'm not. I'm not getting paid another penny.
You see, there are a few things going on. First, I offer a money-back guarantee on the quality of what I do. I don't feel this was my best, so I will continue until it meets my quality. Second, I don't work hourly, so my client paid me for results, and while we technically have them, we both agree we're missing something.
Where we go from here is we will work closely together to figure out that missing something, and I will work with them until we are both satisfied. That's how I work, it's how my proposals work, and I don't have to negotiate more "Time," because my fees were for the results, not the time.
I wanted to share this because it is the first time I've worked with a client where I didn't succeed early, and it tested my business model. I'm comforted by the freedom I have to say, "I'm not satisfied. I want to keep at this," and it isn't a play for more payable work. My client is satisfied that we can talk about what really matters without having hidden dollar signs attached.
What do you think? Have you worked with someone that operates similarly?
Sincerely,
Ryan
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