A short presentation to dive into the tactics that we use as a company to communicate more effectively with our clients.

1. COMMUNICATION
PROTOCOLS FOR FLATSTACK
CLIENT MANAGERS

2. FLATSTACK CORE VALUES
SET PEOPLE UP TO SUCCEED. BELIEVE IN THEM.
GREAT WORK IS A MATTER OF PRIDE
DOING > TALKING
BE CURIOUS & NEVER STOP LEARNING.
INNOVATE. MAKE MISTAKES. LEARN.
FLATTEN THE WORLD & EXPLORE IT.
COMMUNICATE TRANSPARENTLY & HONESTLY.
WORK HARD. PLAY HARD.
WIN, WIN, WIN = CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES, COMPANY
CREATE AWESOMENESS

3. FOCUS ON DELIVERY
!
!
“WHEN IT HITS THE FAN, IT’S ALL ABOUT DELIVERY NOT
HOURS, BUT IF DELIVERY ISN’T HAPPENING THEN I CARE
ABOUT HOURS”
!
CURRENT FLATSTACK CLIENT
!

4. • Build credibility in everything we do.
“In any relationship there is a bucket of good will. Doing what you
say or more than you say fills the bucket, missing commitments or
making mistakes empty the bucket. You have to fill the bucket early
in a relationship…” - Former FlatStack Client
• Focus on early wins and showing velocity.
• Attention to details matters! Make the extra effort early on to show you
care and it will pay off over the long-term.
• Ask questions that go beyond your immediate concern and try to
understand their goals and their challenges.

5. • Consistency of Communication Matters
“Nature abhors a vacuum. When I don’t hear anything that vacuum
gets filled with fear and paranoia when a simple “looking into it”
would put my mind at ease.” - Former FlatStack Client
• Don’t wait until tomorrow to communicate. Even if it’s just “I’m looking
into and will follow-up in more detail”, hearing something is ALWAYS
better than hearing nothing.
• People respond positively when they feel they are being treated honestly.
If you don’t know the answer, say “I don’t know, but I will find out for
you.”

6. • Don’t commit to things we don’t believe are possible.
“My goal with sprint planning is to honestly assess what can be done
on a consistent basis so that we can plan our business on a reliable
foundation.” - Former FlatStack Client
• You can be honest and aggressive in your planning. Push the limits in an
open and honest way.
• If there is a disagreement on a client’s estimation of a task and ours,
always get to the “why”.

7. • When we do commit to things, then we have a responsibility
to deliver on that commitment.
“I know there is too much to do and not enough time…and honestly I
don’t expect the team to commit to everything I ask for, but when
they do commit to something, I expect it to happen.” - Former
FlatStack Client
• Over promising and under delivering diminishes our credibility.
• Every time we deliver what we say, we earn trust. The more trust we have
with a client, the more freedom we have to take leadership, make
recommendations, and focus on what we care about…building great
products!

8. !
• Daily Scrum reports are a tool, they are not a replacement
for direct communication.
• QA is everybody’s job. If possible, take a minute to make sure
our work passes the immediate “eye test”.
• Be authentic. Everyone has a different personality, so let yours
show.
• Help each other. If you are struggling with a client, talk about it
with the other managers or ask me or Abigale.
• Always keep an eye out for ways to improve. Whether it’s our
team or with an individual client look for ways to improve.

9. FLATSTACK CORE VALUES
SET PEOPLE UP TO SUCCEED. BELIEVE IN THEM.
GREAT WORK IS A MATTER OF PRIDE
DOING > TALKING
BE CURIOUS & NEVER STOP LEARNING.
INNOVATE. MAKE MISTAKES. LEARN.
FLATTEN THE WORLD & EXPLORE IT.
COMMUNICATE TRANSPARENTLY & HONESTLY.
WORK HARD. PLAY HARD.
WIN, WIN, WIN = CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES, COMPANY
CREATE AWESOMENESS