First, Do No Harm
It’s easy for developers to recognize inefficiencies in a client organization. But pointing them out to clients often just adds stress to their lives because what they don’t know isn’t hurting them.
Instead, focus on finding out what keeps them up at night - even if it is something that seems trivial to you. By doing so, you will create a reputation for “making the pain go away” - which is super valuable!
This is what you DON’T want your clients thinking:
“Every time I talk to you, I walk away with more problems.”
Solve the problems your clients know about and keep a list of the ones they don’t. When you’re done with their list, you can say:
“Hey, I’ve noticed a few things while we’ve been working together that you might want to consider addressing...”
Once you’ve solved all of the problems that your clients have identified, you will have earned the right to suggest solving others.