What I Learnt About Setting Expectations from Working at a Big 4 Firm
There’s a methodology behind the paperwork.
Whilst working for one of the Big 4 Accounting Firms, a document that I hated putting together was the “Engagement Letter.” Simply put, it was a document that outlined the scope of work (and the scope of what wasn’t part of the engagement).
Essentially, clearly setting out expectations.
Naively, I dismissed this as “just another document” and didn’t understand the importance of what it was trying to convey.
Or why it had to be done prior to doing any work for our clients.
In fact, this document was so critical that it formed the basis of the internal audits of our department.
So what was its purpose?
To accurately set out the terms and expectations of the project we were about to undertake.
So how can this be done in practice?
1. Clearly define what will be done
So, you’ve had your first meeting with your potential client and you’ve agreed (at least verbally) about what will be done. Now is the time to get it written down in paper, if anything, just to confirm that there isn’t anything missing.
