How to Get Client Approvals Faster: Why ‘Just Confirming’ Costs You a Week
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Quick answerWhat it actually costsWhy it keeps happeningA practical checklistTry this weekWhat fixed looks likeHow Crittiks handles itBe honest about the limitsWhy ‘Just Confirming’ Doesn’t WorkThe Anatomy of a Good Approval RequestKeeping the RecordRelated ReadingFrequently Asked Questions“Just confirming you’re happy for us to proceed.”
You’ve sent that sentence more times than you can count. The reply, when it comes, is “Yes, looks good.” It’s now in a thread between two other conversations.
Explore the plans: see Crittiks pricing or try the savings calculator on the pricing page.
What it actually costs
A week lost waiting for a yes is a week of idle capacity or risky work. A lost yes is a dispute. Both are avoidable.
Why it keeps happening
Email approvals fail because the request is vague, the recipient is busy and the reply is unstructured. The sender has no easy way to know what’s outstanding.
A practical checklist
- Ask for approval of one specific thing.
- State what happens next and when.
- Record the answer against the milestone.
- Track outstanding approvals in one list.
- Escalate by phone after a set time.
Try this week
Count approvals you’re waiting on right now. Write who, what and since when.
What fixed looks like
Fixed means the approval request is attached to the milestone, the client’s response is recorded automatically, and the next stage can see it’s been cleared.
How Crittiks handles it
In Crittiks, approvals are requested by email and each response is recorded against the project milestone with a full audit trail. They are recorded sign-offs, not certified digital signatures; formal contracts use e-signature.
Be honest about the limits
No tool fixes habits on its own. Crittiks helps when the team adopts the workflow, and it won’t suit every business: if you need deep specialist features in a single area, a dedicated tool may serve you better. Try it inside the 14-day trial against your real work before you commit.
Why ‘Just Confirming’ Doesn’t Work
A request like ‘let us know if you’re happy to proceed’ invites a vague reply or none at all. The client may not know exactly what they’re approving, what happens if they say yes, or why it’s urgent. A good request is specific, short and dated.
The Anatomy of a Good Approval Request
- One decision per request.
- What you’re asking them to approve, in a sentence.
- What happens next if they say yes.
- A date by which you need an answer.
- A simple way to reply that can be recorded.
Keeping the Record
The reply matters as much as the request. Record the answer against the milestone it belongs to so that months later you can show who approved what and when. If approvals live only in inboxes, they’re evidence you have to go looking for at the worst possible moment.
Related Reading
- Crittiks pricing
- Platform overview
- Who Crittiks is for
- How Veloz Marketing Runs Client Work on One Workspace
- Best-of-Breed vs All-in-One Software: An Honest Take
- Flat-Tier Pricing Explained: Capacity vs Features
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I speed up client approvals?
Make them specific, attach them to a milestone, and track outstanding ones visibly.
Is a recorded approval legally binding?
That depends on context. Take legal advice for important matters.
Where are approvals stored?
On the project milestone.
Can I see who’s outstanding?
Yes, on the project.
How do I track client approvals?
Attach each approval request to a project milestone, record the client’s response there, and keep a single list of outstanding approvals.
Is there a free trial of Crittiks?
Yes. New workspaces get a 14-day trial. A card is required to start, but nothing is charged during the 14 days, and you see the exact plan and first charge date before your card is used.
Pricing note: Crittiks Pro is $99.95/month (8 seats included), Platinum is $139.95/month (15 seats included) and Diamond is $179.95/month (30 seats included); annual billing saves 20%. Enterprise is custom. Every tier includes all six suites; tiers differ by capacity (seats, mailboxes, AI credits), not features. New workspaces start with a 14-day trial (card required, nothing charged during the trial). Confirm current pricing at crittiks.com/pricing.
Crittiks pricing: Pro $99.95/mo (8 seats included), Platinum $139.95/mo (15 seats included), Diamond $179.95/mo (30 seats included), Enterprise custom; annual billing saves 20%. All six suites are included in every tier; tiers differ by capacity (seats, mailboxes, AI credits), not features. New workspaces start with a 14-day trial (card required, nothing charged during the trial). Confirm current pricing at crittiks.com/pricing.
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