Every agency and consultant has experienced it: a difficult client. Clients are the lifeblood of our business, but not all clients are created equally. Some aren’t clear about what they want, treat you disrespectfully, or make unreasonable demands. And at their worst, they’re unethical.
One notable client of mine asked for a price break because she was starting a nonprofit and bootstrapping it “out of her own pocket.” I thought her cause was worthy and the project could lead to future business, so (against my better judgment) I gave her a break. Then when the project was completed — after many scope creeps and cost overruns I absorbed — she shared the “exciting” news that she’d just bought a vacation home. I felt like a sucker.
We all need help knowing how to handle a difficult client — here are my best tips.
01.
Take a timeout. If you don’t need to respond right away, give yourself a couple of days to reflect on the root of the problem and strategize your response so you can avoid making careless errors. If you work on your own, talk to a friend or colleague; having a sympathetic ear and a sounding board can help you think through your approach and get things off your chest. But don’t give yourself so much time that it’s too late to be effective once you do make contact again — keep it under five days so you can address issues when they’re fresh.
02.
Have empathy. You don’t know what pressures your client is under professionally or personally. Give them the benefit of the doubt that they aren’t aware of the impact their actions are having on you, your team, or your business. When you do choose to talk with them, try to have the conversation in person. It’s harder for either party to villainize the other when you’re face to face.
03.
Don’t suffer in silence. You owe it to yourself, your team, and the client to communicate clearly. If the nature of the problem is about the process or the project scope, do a mid-project progress report to remind them what you’ve accomplished, what the barriers are, and possible solutions, and review the agreements made going into the project.
If the nature of the conflict is their personal behavior toward you or your team, it’s important to let your client know you want to talk to them about your relationship concerns and how to collaborate best so they aren’t taken by surprise when you meet. Allow plenty of time to talk so the conversation can unfold organically and everyone has time to be heard. You have every right to say that the manner in which they communicate is not productive; just use “I” statements and speak for yourself vs. telling them what they are doing wrong.
04.
Cut your losses and mutually agree on a plan. If you can’t turn things around, move quickly to wrap up the work. Set the end date and confirm the project details to be addressed and payment terms. Continue to do your best work politely and warmly. While some people suggest you find another consultant to finish the work, I find that’s passing the buck. You made a commitment, so complete the work as quickly as possible and move on. If you get stiffed, you can write it off as the cost of doing business or take legal action as outlined in your contract. Either way, pay your contractors in full. It’s not their problem that your client didn’t meet their commitment; you still need to meet yours.
05.
Take the high road. Staying professional sends a powerful message to the client that might make them reconsider how they’ve behaved, have a newfound respect for you, or be less likely to badmouth you. Regardless, you’ll feel better about yourself. This is especially important if the client was referred by a family or friend. (And on that note, I’d advise never doing business with friends of friends or family. It NEVER goes well. Help them out by referring them to someone else. Relationships that start with familiarity invite the crossing of professional boundaries.)
You might feel a little scared to speak up for yourself or concerned about starting a confrontation. As much as you can, ground your conversations in the nuts and bolts of the project and agreements. This creates a neutral forum for discussion which can reduce defensiveness or hurt feelings. And delivering everything in a warm and friendly tone makes it easier to smooth over hurt feelings and move on like the professional you are.
You now know how to handle a difficult client — but how do you avoid signing one in the first place? Click here for my tips.
