Your delivery order says you should show up Friday, August 27, 2015 with the equipment and people required to fulfill your major order.  The Friday of that week, though, is August 28^th.  Does the client want you to show up on the 27^th or on Friday? 

Business communications seem so fundamental to success.  Yet, you can probably think of at least three examples where there was either an internal or external problem because someone didn’t clearly communicate.  More than one contractor “just knows” what the customer wants.  More than one contractor is often wrong.

Communication isn’t just from your client to you, though.  You must ensure that you’re telling the client exactly what you’re doing and why.  Are you changing key personnel?  Often a bid is won because of your key people.  If someone is changing jobs or going to another company, don’t just stay quiet and hope that the client doesn’t notice.

The tendency in many companies in such circumstances, however, is to under-communicate.  Avoid that tendency.  Put yourself in the client’s shoes.  If you don’t understand what’s happening, you make assumptions, right?  Often, those assumptions are worse than what’s actually happening.  Your company can find itself with a major client problem because the client assumed the worst.  While your client may not be thrilled that there’s a glitch, a glitch is better than having a major fulfillment issue later on.

Identify problems up front, devise remedies, and inform the client.

Surprises are best left for birthday parties.  Make sure you and your government client communicate often so there are none in course of your federal business.