You are a project manager and you have heard that a customer on one of your proj

Question

You are a project manager and you have heard that a customer on one of your projects wants to make yet another change to his project. He calls and invites you to a very expensive restaurant and tells you he will buy you lunch and explain his changes. What should you do?

a. Accept the invitation since he is a very good customer and it would be good for business.

b. Tell your Sponsor and invite her to tag along.

c. Politely decline, ask about the changes, and inform the customer of the proper change control process that he would need to use.

d. Politely decline, document the requested changes, and implement changes.

a. Accept the invitation since he is a very good customer and it would be good for business.

b. Tell your Sponsor and invite her to tag along.

c. Politely decline, ask about the changes, and inform the customer of the proper change control process that he would need to use.

d. Politely decline, document the requested changes, and implement changes.

Explanation / Answer

This is an interesting case which tests our understanding of the ethics and gift policies in an organization. Many organizations have written rules about accepting gifts/invites from customers in return for certain favours.

Here, in the given question, the most appropriate thing to do would be option c. As a project manager, you have a proper process that is to be followed. You should inform the customer than there is a proper change control process which exists in the company which he would have to follow. There is a provision for customers to request for changes - use it. Accepting this invite would simply mean you are giving in to a form of gift/bribery (in a way) just to accommodate his change.

Hence, options a and b are ruled out. Option d is also ruled out as we cannot decline the change outright - it might be a valid change, and hence should go through the proper change control process.

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