The client/server relationship is a two-way street. Of course, as the service provider, you want to be the one initiating most of the contact—and it goes without saying that you should be providing your client with value, consistently and on schedule. There are times, however, when no matter what you do the client isn’t satisfied or when the relationship takes up more energy than it’s worth. Whether it’s because of headache, emotional drain or a better opportunity coming your way, sometimes you have to tell a client that they are no longer going to receive your services. It’s good to do this as early as you can so that they can respond accordingly. Handling this situation poorly is painful and can ruin any chance of a good reference. However, handling it well will maintain and could even boost your reputation.
Three warning signs of a bad client relationship
- Decreased communication
The number one warning sign of a faltering relationship is decay in the communication. So long as you’re reaching out consistently, you should hear back from your client with some regularity. If your client doesn’t tell you about planned changes that will affect your relationship or there are long periods of silence after you’ve sent status reports or questions, it’s time to look around for other options.
Tips to avoid or deal with this:
- Keep in regular contact, send status reports and questions or comments weekly.
- Ask for a review from your client after a few months.
- If you suspect something is wrong, just say so. It’s good to show concern.
- Pushy and overly demanding
Just because a client is demanding, it doesn’t mean they are a bad client. In fact, the proper challenge is a great thing. It is the shape demands take, especially their clarity and consistency, that is good to keep an eye on. If demands keep shifting, new demands arise constantly, then the relationship can be affected. Trying your best to help a client through a stressful business situation ends where the abuse of the relationship begins.
Tips to avoid or deal with this:
- Track and report your results on a regular basis.
- Don’t over commit—say “no” instead of working yourself into the ground.
- Be firm. You’re the one who ultimately decides what to do with your time.
- Ambiguous feedback and blame
If a client can’t figure out what they want, it’s not always the end of the world. After all, that’s part of what you’re there to help with. However, when their feedback is more “I want it like this thing I saw the other day” than “I have no idea; use your creative freedom and show me some options,” it’s a sure warning sign. When a client provides ambiguous feedback and then blames you for the lack of progress on a project, you can try to recover the situation—but accept that this may be impossible.
Tips to avoid or deal with this:
- Provide several direction options to the client.
- Ask clarify questions early and often.
- Communicate the effect of revisions on a timeframe.
Sticking it out versus letting go
It’s imperative to keep yourself available to new opportunities. When you let go of a client, you free yourself up for clients that are lower-impact and therefore higher net value. With each transition to a better client, you’ll have more fun, make more money and be generally happier. You may find clients that won’t take up as much of your time, leaving you to do more of what you enjoy—creating. That means a trusting relationship with mutual respect for each others’ experience and preferences. But how do you know when to leave one relationship for another? Having multiple clients at once is a good way to do so. Asking your other clients whether they’d like more of what you’re doing is a good idea before letting go. In business, there’s nothing better than having great clients. All the money in the world won’t make up for the kind of stress you go home with when someone is giving you grief every day. I see everyone I do work for as a client—whether they pay me for services, or they’re an employee, colleague or partner. At the end of the day, these are all business relationships that you either water or not. Choosing the right ones to grow is an ongoing process. So keep at it!