We often think of deadlines as something that is mandatorily set by someone else that we have to adhere to. It can be a means of control and structure and it may be that we are the ones setting a deadline and expecting everyone else to fall in line. One of the ways we can provide better customer service is to be willing to work WITH our customers and/or clients and agree on deadlines together in a collaborative fashion instead of having one party setting them for the other to follow.
I know that many deadlines are non-negotiable. I definitely work in a field where I often have absolutely no say about deadlines and I have to adjust my schedule and life to accommodate. When we can be flexible and work with someone else to set a mutually comfortable deadline, things can go smoother and both sides can be happier.
When I used to work with nonprofit agencies and charitable organizations, we would usually develop a timeline for a project or event based on everyone’s input. It would have saved me a lot of time in the beginning and I could have been very organized if I had just done it myself. The group process, however, contributed to buy-in and mutual understanding. People were able to say what they reasonably “could” do and once they contributed to the collaborative timeline, they took ownership in it. I felt like people were much more likely to adhere to deadlines if they had their say up front and helped set them.
Collaborating on deadlines also gives both parties a chance to weigh in regarding other projects and concerns that could affect the outcome. Conversations and discussions that you have in the beginning stages can keep larger problems and miscommunication from developing later on.