Every freelance consultant will eventually have a project that doesn’t go to plan — a missed deadline, a deliverable that misses the brief, a client relationship that deteriorates. How you handle it matters more than the fact that it happened. Clients who see you manage a problem well often become more loyal than those who never experienced a problem at all.
Acknowledge it quickly
The worst thing you can do when something goes wrong is say nothing and hope the client doesn’t notice. They will notice, and the delay makes it worse. As soon as you know there’s a problem — a missed deadline, a deliverable that’s not right, a communication failure — get in front of it. A brief, direct message that acknowledges the issue and outlines what you’re doing about it goes a long way.
Take responsibility for your part
Even if the problem isn’t entirely your fault, resist the temptation to lead with an explanation of what the client did wrong. Acknowledge what you could have done better first. This builds trust and usually makes the client more willing to acknowledge their own contribution to the problem.
Focus on the fix, not the blame
What matters to the client is what happens next. Come to the conversation with a clear proposal: what you’ll do to fix it, by when, and what (if anything) it will cost. Having a solution ready shows you’ve thought about the client’s situation, not just your own.
Learn from it
After the dust has settled, spend time understanding what went wrong and what you’d do differently. A debrief with yourself — or with the client if appropriate — turns a problem into a professional improvement. Most experienced consultants can trace their best processes back to a project that went badly.
The project crisis checklist below walks you through the steps for managing a project problem, from initial acknowledgement through to resolution and follow-up.