You are on a consulting team and the client hasn't provided essential data two days before the deadline. What would you do?
RoleConsulting Associate
DifficultyEasy
TopicBehavioral
Asked at
Why This Is Asked
In consulting, clients may not always cooperate as expected. This question evaluates your initiative, communication skills, problem-solving under pressure, and client management approach. EY wants to see if you can maintain project momentum without damaging the client relationship.
General Approach
Structure your answer by outlining immediate actions: communication with client, internal team coordination, and contingency planning. Show that you consider both short-term deliverables and long-term trust. Use a calm, solution-focused tone. If you have a relevant real example, use it to add credibility.
General Answer
First, contact the client directly and promptly to understand the specific reason for the delay rather than assuming disengagement, since it's often a resourcing or internal-approval issue on their side. Be specific about what you still need and by when, and offer to make it easier for them, for example with a short template, a call to walk through the request, or a reduced initial data set that still lets you start. In parallel, update your internal team and engagement lead on the risk to the deadline as soon as it's clear, rather than waiting until the deadline is missed, so they can help manage the client relationship or adjust the plan. Use the waiting period productively by working with any data you already have, drafting the analysis structure, or doing proxy analysis so the deliverable isn't fully blocked. If the data truly can't arrive in time, propose a realistic revised timeline or a partial interim deliverable rather than letting the deadline pass without communication.
PH Interview Gotcha
Avoid filler phrases like 'Kasi po...' or 'Actually, parang...'. In Taglish, we often start sentences with 'Actually' which can weaken your statement. Also, don't begin with 'Uhm, sorry po, ma'am...'; just state your answer calmly. Keep it direct: 'In this situation, I would...' Don't over-explain with 'siya kasi...' (like blaming the client indirectly).
Sample STAR Answer▾
S
Situation
This reminds me of a situation during my junior year at university when our capstone group was consulting for a small coffee shop owner. We needed financial records to analyze cost structures, but the owner delayed providing them until the week before our final presentation.
T
Task
I needed to ensure we still delivered a meaningful analysis without the complete data, while maintaining a positive relationship with the client and keeping my team on track.
A
Action
First, I contacted the owner via a polite email and follow-up call, explaining the urgency and offering to visit the shop to pick up the documents personally. When he still couldn't provide them immediately, I worked with my team to identify proxy metrics we could use, such as industry benchmarks and supplier invoices. I also prepared a contingency plan that outlined two scenarios: one with the actual data if received later, and one with the proxy data. I communicated this transparently to the client, emphasizing our commitment to the project.
R
Result
The owner appreciated our proactiveness and provided partial data two days before the deadline. We integrated it into our analysis, and our presentation highlighted both the estimated and actual cost structures. We received an A for the course, and the client mentioned he valued our resourcefulness and clear communication.
Key Takeaway
I learned that when facing data constraints, it's crucial to be proactive and creative. Maintaining open communication with stakeholders and having a backup plan can turn a potential crisis into a demonstration of adaptability.
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