Expectations. It is all about managing expectations. If you expect things to be finished in a certain amount of time and they do not, delays are a huge frustr

Expectations. It is all about managing expectations. If you expect things to be finished in a certain amount of time and they do not, delays are a huge frustration. If things are finished before your expected time, you are satisfied or happy. It is, in a sense, the other side of the coin of control. We have schedules and needs, and we want to be in control of these things. In order to be in control, we need to remove the unknowns -- have the right expectations. Visiting a customer when your project is past due is an effort to help them understand what to expect so that they may feel more in control of the outcome. The customer's money is on the line. They are happier when they have a reasonable handle on the situation. Practical example: It is far better to tell your customer, "We expect to receive the parts in two days, and we will call you immediately" than "We will call you when we receive the parts."