Attending BKX this past June was a life-changing experience for me. Not only was it my first time going as a business owner, with Anchor sponsoring my participation, but it was also the first time I realized that I really haven’t been setting boundaries with my clients. And the toll it’s been taking on me? Much bigger than I could have ever imagined.
The creep that sneaks up on you
Without setting boundaries, we encounter scope creep, and it does exactly what its name implies. It creeps up on you and usually, our clients end up taking heat for it. That’s because it starts with an innocent, “Can you just add this one thing?” and before you know it, you’re drowning in extra work. While unintentional on our clients' part, scope creep ends up messing with more than just one project; it lingers, spreads, and then haunts the entire client relationship.
At first, those extra requests don’t seem like the end of the world. A tiny tweak here, an additional service there. But when it becomes a habit, it’s a nightmare. Every little request turns into a new mountain of work to climb, and I can literally feel the sting of lost revenue and wasted time. At a certain point, I came to accept what good service should look like in order to keep my clients happy, but that was a misconception I had to unlearn.
Relationships in retrospect
That’s why one breakout session really hit home for me. It was about managing client relationships. As the speaker gave his session, discussing how to craft meaningful connections, the wheels in my mind started turning. I was thinking about how I became a victim of scope creep on too many occasions, not setting clear project parameters or communicating well enough, because I was scared of ruining the relationships I had with my clients. But, without boundaries, misunderstandings, tension, and unrealistic expectations reared their ugly heads, and now I see how clients expect more without knowing or realizing the impact on timelines and costs.
I had a total wake-up call. Memories of poorly defined agreements that blow up into extra costs and extended timelines flashed before my eyes. But, even when I wanted to address these issues, the idea of developing friction between me and my clients always ended up deterring me from doing so.
Reflecting on my own firm, it became almost instantly clear how my lack of boundaries had been letting scope creep slip through the cracks and into my work. I had been doing tons of extra work for free, which just isn’t sustainable. It’s a vicious cycle where I feel pressured to meet every client’s demand, sacrificing my well-being and profitability. But, it’s not my clients’ fault at all. At the end of the day I was responsible for not letting scope creep be the root cause of my lack of boundaries. It was a surefire way to stress myself out and do some serious damage to my client relationships.
Say it ain’t “no”
Saying “no” has always been one of the hardest things for me to do. It feels like I'm letting someone down and when you already think your relationship with your client is strained, saying “no” feels like adding salt to a wound. But at BKX, I realized that saying “no” is not only okay - it’s necessary.
One of the hardest truths I’m facing is that, by not saying “no,” I haven’t been protecting my time, my energy, or my worth. Basically, I wasn’t mitigating scope creep. I hadn’t been fair to myself, and I wasn’t setting a good example for my clients. Without boundaries, I was always on edge, dreading the next email that would add yet another task to my already overflowing plate. But here’s the thing: setting boundaries with the big, scary “no” can actually be done with empathy. It doesn’t mean I’m not accommodating or flexible; it means I’m committed to maintaining the integrity of my work and the health of my relationships. As it turns out, I can make sure that my relationships remain intact over time, while still stating my case and standing my ground before, during, and after a project is complete.
Take down scope creep with better boundaries
So, how do we maintain our positive relationships and still deliver great service? It’s all about setting those firm yet friendly boundaries. And, it’s more than possible to do. Thinking back, I once had a new client who wanted the top tier of a document management service but wasn’t ready to pay full price. I did a one-time higher-level service for her, clearly outlining the tiers in our agreement for the future. No confusion, no hard feelings.
Setting boundaries early on is always better, but that’s easier said than done. In my opinion, it’s more important to remember that boundaries, no matter which stage they’re set at, are not something to fear. Boundaries are not synonymous with bad service. If anything, they make my and my clients’ relationships and experience together better. There are clear ways to manage our relationships so that scope creep is not an issue. It's a real relationship built on trust and there are ways to keep it real while still locking in our boundaries.
From now on, I think we all need to test out setting clear project parameters, keeping detailed records of changes, saying “no'' when it's appropriate, and really try to come to a middle ground that works for both us and our clients. If we can prioritize communication and be the proactive business owners we know we are, then avoiding scope creep will come more naturally.
I will explore these strategies and report back on whether it can save a lot of headaches, keep our projects on track, and lead to happier clients who commit to long-lasting business with us. Because in the end, isn’t that what we’re all hoping for?
About Katie:
Katie Rhodes is the small business owner, of Coal Creek Ledgers, who provides her expertise on numbers and bookkeeping services to professionals in healthcare industry. She is dedicated to giving her clients the time and opportunity to focus on their goals and growth.
