When you convert a hot new lead into a paying customer, it’s a lot like making the jump from dating to going steady… You’ve courted, you’re clearly into each other, and now you’re “taking it to the next level.”
And what always happens in the dating to mating situation? When you decide to “make it official,” the love is in the air. You and your new client are sweet on each other, and the honeymoon is in FULL SWING.
But after a while, the bloom falls off the rose, and things settle into a routine. Of course, there are ups and downs, like any relationship. But hopefully the good outweighs the bad, and you maintain a productive, profitable, and mutually beneficial relationship.
With some clients, however, working relationships sour. It happens for any number of reasons. But the point is, bad clients can have a SERIOUSLY negative impact on your entire business. And often in ways you don’t realize unless you take a step back and survey your business as a whole.
The key is to recognize you’re working with a “bad client.” Here are six of the most common signs:
Overly Demanding
Of course, everyone wants what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. But that’s not how things work in the Real World. Scope of work, schedules and timelines are all functional boundaries that successful professional relationships depend upon. If a client constantly asks you to exceed the boundaries defined in your working relationship, you’ve got a bad client on your hands. And they’ll make you as bat sh*t crazy as they are.
Unrealistic Expectations
Now, this one starts with you. It’s your duty to set realistic expectations for your client upfront. If you far exceed your normal method of operation right outta the gate because you’re all hyped up about working with a new client, it’s really your fault that client has unrealistic expectations.
If, however, you wisely establish realistic expectations upfront, and a client still continually asks you to “make a special exception” (which isn’t special anymore because they’ve already made the same exact request 27,000 times), you’re working with a bad client.
An Unprofitable Time Suck
An Unprofitable Time Suck
Ever heard of Pareto principle, sometimes known as the 80/20 rule? Well it’s a common concept in the business world, and it often applies to bad clients. Think of it like this… Let’s say you consistently work with five clients, each of whom generates roughly 20% of your income. But one of those clients demands 80% of your time – With overbearing demands, completely unrealistic expectations and a constant barrage of last minute “crisis” special requests. This, my friends, is a terrible client. And rest assured, they will NEVER relent.
Disrespectful of Your Time
We’ve all had a crisis moment in our business, right? An emergency situation where you “call in a favor at the zero hour” with a long-time vendor? Of COURSE. That type of behavior certainly doesn’t make anyone a “bad client.”
On the other hand, operating in continual “crisis mode,” and constantly “calling in favors at the zero hour” does. A client that frequently asks you to drop everything and come to their aid in one more of a seemingly endless retinue of “emergency situations” simply does not respect your time. You have a schedule, you have other clients, you have other deadlines, and you’re entitled to have a life. You’re not obligated to remain at a client’s beck and call.
A graphic designer I used to work with had a saying: “Your crisis is not my problem.” And that about sums it up.
Manipulative
Is there anything worse than a client that tries to play on your emotions? A client needs something at the last minute, yet again, and gives you a ridiculous sob story: “Your dog died… This like the FIFTH TIME!? How many dogs do you have???”
Or a client wants something beyond your normal scope of work, and suddenly they become a Washington DC-style lobbyist, working every bit of leverage at their disposal to bend you to their will.
No one likes to be manipulated. But sadly, manipulative clients just can’t help themselves. It’s simply a part of their pathology. And they’re not going to change…
What Are Some of Your Worst Client Horror Stories
We all have ‘em, right? So drop by my Google+ page and lay your best “worst client” horror stories on me!