What did we learn about communication from our 2022 mistake

In 2022, one message could have saved us a lot of time and money.

A former client needed two apps to work together, so we quickly got to work - testing, identifying challenges, and meeting with the app providers.

After estimating the costs, we sent them to the client, only to receive an unexpected response:

the estimate was five times over their budget.

The project was put on hold.

It cost us a lot, but we also learned a lot from it. Since then, we’ve improved our communication processes to make collaboration smoother for our clients.

In this article, we’ll share which changes have worked best for us.

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But first - why is communication more important than you think?

Lack of clear communication is one of the biggest causes of problems in IT projects. Misunderstandings lead to wrong assumptions, delays, and unexpected costs. And often, a simple question or an earlier conversation could have prevented it.

It’s easy to assume that everyone understands the project the same way. But in reality, unclear expectations lead to costly changes and disappointment. That’s why good communication is key - it helps prevent problems before they happen.

It's really about building trust and keeping things moving forward - not just sharing information. We’ve seen firsthand how one missing detail can derail an entire project. That’s why getting it right from the start is so important.

So, how do you improve client communication?

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What did we do to make working with us so much easier?

Everything in one place

Project details often get scattered across different platforms - some agreements happen in meetings, some over email, and some on Telegram.

That’s why, before we start working on a project, we document all key agreements in one place. This prevents chaos, misunderstandings, and conflicting expectations. The client knows exactly what to expect, and we have a clear scope of work. It’s a simple rule, but it saves a lot of trouble and makes the whole process run smoother.

A dedicated contact person for every client

Clients often wonder who to ask when they need something - should they contact the PM, a developer, or someone else? To make it easier, every client gets a dedicated contact person. That’s their go-to for everything.

This doesn’t mean that the contact person knows everything, but if they don’t, they will quickly find the right person to answer. The client no longer has to wonder when (or if) they’ll get a response - the responsibility for providing an answer ASAP now falls on the contact person.

Responding ASAP

Fast responses are key to smooth collaboration. We know how communication can be at times and how frustrating it is to wait forever for answers, so we aim to reply as quickly as possible. If something is urgent, just call us - we’re ready. The faster the communication, the fewer blockers in the project, and the better the cooperation.

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Try implementing these changes yourself!

These three changes have made communication at Rocksoft much better. We've tested them in real projects and highly recommend them to anyone who wants to improve how they communicate.

You can also read an article about the 2022 situation - the story that ended before it began.