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Last updated on Jun 4, 2025
  1. All
  2. Engineering
  3. Engineering Management

Your team member's underperformance is affecting client satisfaction. How can you turn this situation around?

Turning a team's underperformance into high client satisfaction is a leadership challenge that requires tact and strategy.

When a team member's performance dips, it can ripple out to affect client satisfaction. To reverse this trend, consider these steps:

- Engage in constructive dialogue to uncover underlying issues and express concern for the employee's well-being.

- Set clear, achievable goals with regular check-ins to monitor progress and offer support.

- Provide tailored training or mentorship to develop skills and rebuild confidence in their role.

How have you successfully navigated a similar situation? Share your strategies.

Engineering Management Engineering Management

Engineering Management

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Last updated on Jun 4, 2025
  1. All
  2. Engineering
  3. Engineering Management

Your team member's underperformance is affecting client satisfaction. How can you turn this situation around?

Turning a team's underperformance into high client satisfaction is a leadership challenge that requires tact and strategy.

When a team member's performance dips, it can ripple out to affect client satisfaction. To reverse this trend, consider these steps:

- Engage in constructive dialogue to uncover underlying issues and express concern for the employee's well-being.

- Set clear, achievable goals with regular check-ins to monitor progress and offer support.

- Provide tailored training or mentorship to develop skills and rebuild confidence in their role.

How have you successfully navigated a similar situation? Share your strategies.

Add your perspective
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
61 answers
  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Mario Nastri

    Director of Operations at Class Plastics

    • Report contribution

    One strategy that I find effective is to share the value of a customer or group of customers & relate that back to production loading across all plant & equipment. Then show how plant loading would look without these customers. This highlights that quality & consistency is not to be compromised, as if it is then employee numbers or employee evaluations will be under the microscope. This is assuming all systems & communications are in check for the production quality & scheduling.

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    12
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    Sitanshu Patnaik

    Data Engineering & AI | Finance Technology | TPM | SAFe 6.0 Certified practitioner

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    While increased 1:1 engagements, feedback session, monitoring performance, working out a performance improvement plan are all sensible suggestions, are they really effective. I think good managers and leaders go to great lengths to actually influence the thinking of the individual, and work WITH them on the improvement journey. It is done in many ways - throwing up small, easy challenges daily to build trust and confidence to begin with.Then support with the right tools and training to perform. And importantly revisit how you assess underperformance(is it objective enough). At the end of it, one might still fail to improve performance of the team member, so be prepared to let go - the individual might just be needing to break free!

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    7
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    Shay Hetz

    Director of Advanced Manufacturing @ Endeavor3D

    • Report contribution

    Have a one-on-one conversation: Schedule a private meeting with the team member to discuss the performance issues. Be specific and focus on facts rather than making it personal. Ask them about their perspective and listen to any challenges they may be facing. Provide support: Offer coaching, training, or resources that could help improve their skills. Sometimes a lack of understanding or confidence could be a major contributor. Set clear expectations: Reiterate the expectations for their role, the importance of meeting deadlines, and maintaining quality to support client satisfaction. Establish measurable goals for improvement.

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    6
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    Frank Sperk

    Slow down, let´s get it right!

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    Um zu verstehen, was die Gründe für ein unterdurchschnittl. Leistung eines Team-Mitgliedes (TM) ist, musss man in den Dialog gehen. Die Gründe sind so vielfältig, wie die Mitarbeiter selbst. Nur über den konstruktiven Dialog ist es möglich, mit dem TM gemeinsam nach Ursachen und natürlich auch Lösungen zu suchen. Das TM kann absolut falsch eingesetzt worden sein oder in der Familie gibt es Probleme. Vllt. sind die Probleme auch gesundheitlicher Natur? Das herauszufinden ist die Aufgabe einer guten FK. Nur die FK kann eine Lösung zur Performance des TM herbeiführen. Aber bitte nicht als typische FK auftreten - dominant, ungeduldig, fordernd - sondern eher als Freund / verständnisvolle FK, die tatsächlich helfen will.

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    5
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    Nestor Delgado Ponce

    Gerente de Operaciones Enaex Perú. Estratega y Formador de Equipos de Alto Desempeño.

    • Report contribution

    Para revertir esta situación, es fundamental actuar de inmediato. Propongo convocar al equipo a un workshop donde se presenten de manera clara los resultados actuales, las expectativas del cliente y el impacto que el desempeño tiene en la generación de valor. En esta sesión, se debe reafirmar el propósito común, alineándolo con los propósitos individuales de los colaboradores, para fortalecer el compromiso, darle sentido al trabajo y enfocar los esfuerzos en la mejora continua.

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    5
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    Muhammad Shahbaz

    Projects & Engineering l X PepsiCo | X Akzonobel Project l X Packages & Bulleh Shah l Supply chain | Plant Maintenance & Operations

    • Report contribution

    Steps to address team underperformance, 1. Engagement Sessions — Conduct open discussions to understand challenges, align priorities, and rebuild trust and moral. 2. Feedback Sessions— Hold regular, candid 1:1/group reviews. 3. Clear Goals— Define SMART objectives aligned with organizational targets. 4. Skill Matrix & Training — Map competencies, identify gaps, and organize role-specific and cross functional upskilling programs. 5. Leadership Engagement — Leaders to interact directly with frontline teams, address concerns. 6. Recognition— Publicly reward achievements instantly to reinforce positive behaviors. 7. Accountability— Set clear expectations, monitor progress, and implement fair consequences for missed targets.

    Like
    4
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    Umar, I. PMP, CSCP®, CSSMBB®

    Toastmaster | 13 Yrs Business Transformation | 7 Sectors | $2M+ Impact | 20% Cost Reduction | Ops Excellence, Program Management & Digital Transformation (AI, ML, RPA)

    • Report contribution

    While overseeing operations in a mattress unit, a QC team member’s inconsistent inspections began triggering client complaints. I held a one-on-one to uncover root causes burnout and unclear expectations. We reset KPIs, paired them with a senior mentor, and created a simple defect classification guide. Weekly progress reviews and appreciation of small wins helped rebuild their confidence. Within a month, client satisfaction scores improved, and internal rework dropped by 35%.

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    4
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    Jeslin Joshy

    Robotics Engineer (R&D)

    • Report contribution

    The best way is to substitute the team member and give him time to change . Because a person is underperforming due to many reasons including personal problems, family issues , mental stress etc. so if you don't want to lose an employee and a client. That's the best thing you can do. Try to understand the team member , that's how you create the best team. Secondly change the approach towards the client , not everyone is the same. You can clearly see many real life examples for the same. Always try to get ideas from the client , because at last the product or the work is theirs. Thirdly perspective analysis , analyse each and every perspective objectively before handling such an issue .

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    3
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    Leonardo Henrique de Lima

    Engenheiro Mecânico | Engenheiro de Segurança do Trabalho| Gestão de Projetos | Melhoria Contínua

    • Report contribution

    Quando o desempenho de um membro da equipe começa a impactar negativamente a satisfação dos clientes, é essencial agir de forma estratégica e proativa para resolver a situação. Primeiro, avalie o problema de forma detalhada, identificando as causas e como exatamente ele está afetando os clientes. Em seguida, converse com o colaborador de maneira aberta e construtiva, ouvindo sua perspectiva e oferecendo suporte, como treinamentos ou recursos adicionais, para ajudá-lo a melhorar. Defina expectativas claras e metas realistas, comunicando a importância do papel dele para a satisfação do cliente. Acompanhe o progresso regularmente, reconhecendo melhorias e fornecendo feedback contínuo.

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    Ricardo Chang

    Strategic Business Manager│Business Development │Sales & Commercial │ B2B & B2C │ Disruptive Innovator

    • Report contribution

    ✅ Identificar la causa raíz → Analizar si el problema se debe a falta de capacitación, sobrecarga de trabajo o procesos ineficientes. ✅ Fomentar la responsabilidad → Establecer expectativas claras y fortalecer la cultura de compromiso. ✅ Mejorar la comunicación interna → Facilitar reuniones donde el equipo pueda expresar desafíos y recibir apoyo. ✅ Alinear objetivos con la satisfacción del cliente → Vincular el rendimiento del equipo con métricas de experiencia del cliente. ✅ Implementar mejoras continuas → Usar herramientas y técnicas innovadoras para optimizar procesos y elevar el desempeño.

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