During a software development life cycle project, differences between stakeholders lead to conflict and the customer raises concerns about the impact. As a trained project manager, what is the most appropriate first action to resolve the customer's concerns?

Introduction / Context:
Software development projects often involve multiple stakeholders with differing priorities and perspectives. When these differences lead to conflict that affects the customer, the project manager must take deliberate steps to understand the issues, communicate effectively, and guide the parties toward a resolution. PMI based project management emphasizes stakeholder engagement, communication management, and conflict resolution skills rather than making unilateral decisions without proper dialogue.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• A software development life cycle project is underway, moving through build, test, and acceptance phases.
• Differences between stakeholders have turned into conflicts that now concern the customer.
• The customer has raised concerns, and the project manager needs to respond.
• No detailed information has yet been gathered about the root causes or possible solutions.

Concept / Approach:
A professional project manager should address customer concerns proactively and transparently. The first step is to understand the customer's perspective and the underlying issues. This is best accomplished through structured communication, such as a formal or semi formal meeting involving the customer and relevant stakeholders. In that meeting, the project manager can use active listening, clarify expectations, distinguish between scope changes and execution issues, and determine whether a change request is needed. Jumping directly to change control or promising everything to the customer without analysis may lead to unrealistic commitments and further problems.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognize that the customer's concerns must be heard and understood in a respectful, structured way. Step 2: Plan to bring together the customer and key stakeholders in a meeting where issues can be openly discussed and documented. Step 3: Use the meeting to clarify requirements, identify whether the concerns relate to scope, quality, schedule, or communication, and assess if a change request is necessary. Step 4: Document agreed actions, including any follow up analysis or formal change control that might be needed after the discussion. Step 5: Select the answer choice that reflects this structured, communication first approach, which is option B.

Verification / Alternative check:
PMI's guidance on stakeholder and communications management advises project managers to address conflicts and concerns through timely communication, active listening, and collaborative problem solving. Before changing baselines or making unilateral promises, a project manager should ensure that all parties share a common understanding of the problem. Scheduling a meeting aligns with these principles and is usually the first step in resolving customer concerns, followed by formal change control if needed.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, simply letting the customer vent, may provide emotional relief but does not guarantee a structured path to resolution. Option C, immediately creating a change request, skips the crucial step of understanding the issues and might formalize the wrong solution. Option D, resolving everything in favor of the customer without analysis, can damage scope, schedule, and cost baselines and is not responsible project management. Option E, delaying response until conflicts disappear, risks damaging customer trust and can escalate problems. Only option B reflects a professional, communication oriented first response.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is rushing into change control or technical fixes before fully understanding the customer's concerns and expectations. Another mistake is avoiding difficult conversations, hoping conflicts will resolve themselves, which often leads to deeper dissatisfaction. Effective project managers treat customer concerns as high priority communication issues, first seeking clarity and consensus before making changes to scope or baselines.

Final Answer:
The most appropriate first action is to schedule a structured meeting with the customer and key stakeholders to discuss concerns, clarify expectations, and identify options for resolution.