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Klient Tips #37
FOR BUSINESS LEADERS
Because Transparency Drives Results
At Klient.com, we know that sharing a project roadmap is one of the most effective ways to keep everyone aligned and accountable. But what exactly is a roadmap, and why is it so important to share it?
What Is a Roadmap?
A roadmap is a strategic plan that outlines the goals, tasks, and timelines for a project. It’s the big picture, broken down into clear steps and milestones. The roadmap serves as a guide for everyone involved, showing where the project is headed and how it’s going to get there.
For Professional Services
In a professional services firm, the roadmap is the customer’s path to business automation and efficiency. It covers all aspects of a digital transformation project, from the initial implementation and onboarding to a multi-year rollout of functionality to other teams. The roadmap accounts for the fact that customers can’t absorb all these changes at once. It’s a collection of must-haves and wishlist items spread across time, broken down into manageable phases and deliverables.
For SaaS Companies
Working closely with customers builds trust. This partnership approach turns a simple transaction into a long-term relationship, making customers more likely to return for future projects or recommend you to others.
Professional Services: 4 Reasons to Share Your Roadmap
1. Aligning on Priorities Right from the Sales Cycle
Sharing your roadmap early in the sales cycle ensures that both you and your client are on the same page about what’s most important. This alignment helps set the tone for the entire project, making sure everyone is focused on the right goals from the start.
2. Setting Clear Expectations and Never Missing a Kickoff
A roadmap helps set clear expectations, so everyone knows what’s coming and when. By having a shared plan, you ensure that all stakeholders are ready for each phase of the project, including that crucial kickoff meeting. No one is left guessing, and the project starts on the right foot.
3. Transparency Through Budget and Time
A shared roadmap gives your client visibility into how their budget, time, and scope are being managed. It breaks down each phase of the project, showing where resources are allocated and how timelines are managed. This transparency builds trust and helps avoid any surprises down the road.
4. Working Closely with Your Customer
When clients see their roadmap, they feel more involved in the process. It’s not just about delivering a project—it’s about working together, making decisions, and adjusting the plan as needed. A shared roadmap fosters collaboration and keeps the client engaged throughout the entire project.
How We Do It at Klient:
At Klient, we expose all ongoing projects through our customer community by providing our clients with read-only Gantt charts for timelines and dashboard and report graphs for budgets and scope. This transparent approach ensures that our customers always know where their projects stand, both in terms of time, budget, and scope.
SaaS Company: 4 Reasons to Share Your Roadmap
1. Building Anticipation and Loyalty
When you share your feature roadmap, you build excitement among your customers. They know what’s coming and when, which keeps them engaged and loyal. It’s about giving them something to look forward to and showing that you’re continually improving.
2. Gathering Early Feedback
A shared roadmap lets customers weigh in on upcoming features before they’re fully developed. This feedback is invaluable for refining your product and ensuring it meets the needs of your users.
3. Aligning Sales and Marketing Efforts
A clear feature roadmap helps your sales and marketing teams plan their efforts. They can align their campaigns and sales pitches with what’s coming next, ensuring that everyone is promoting the same message.
4. Fostering Collaboration
When done right, a product feature roadmap can be more than just a plan—it can be a tool for collaboration. By allowing customers and teams to comment and provide feedback, the roadmap becomes a living document that evolves with input from everyone involved.
We actively share our SaaS product roadmap with our customers and internal teams. We also have a voting system through our Ideas platform where customers can vote on features they want to see. This open approach fosters collaboration, allowing for continuous feedback and adjustments to ensure our product meets the needs of our users.
Conclusion
At Klient.com, sharing our project roadmap is more than just a best practice—it’s a strategy that drives results. Whether you’re in professional services or SaaS, a roadmap keeps everyone aligned, accountable, and focused on the goals that matter most. Share your roadmap, keep it real, and watch your projects and customer relationships thrive. Because when everyone knows the plan, everyone wins.
Written by Yanick Abraham.
You can reach me on LinkedIn, I’m usually very responsive.
Related Feature Spotlight
This month’s Feature Spotlight is on Klient Customer Community. We’ve created several pieces of content that we hope you find useful.
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