Dealing with Difficult Clients
by Jason Kern
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We've all had ‘em - the client from Dante's murderous seventh circle. If you'd like to avoid dispatching with a possible good source of income, here are some ideas for recovering and coming out like a champ.
We've all had ‘em - the client from Dante's murderous seventh circle. If you'd like to avoid dispatching with a possible good source of income, here are some ideas I use in my web development business for recovering and coming out like a champ.
Really listen. I've found that when I'm detecting some frustration on the client's part, often simply acknowledging the reason for the frustration clears the path for a resolution. For example, the client says, "No orders have come in since we launched the site you built 2 seeks ago". Instead of taking a "Not my fault" attitude, try repeating their issue as a question. "No orders for 2 weeks?" and then offer some hope. "Hmm, let's take a look at why".
Empathetic humor. This is a dicey area but if used correctly can turn a potentially incendiary situation into a problem solving session. Self-effacing humor like "Wow, it is really hard to find good help these days" goes a long way toward getting the defenses down and getting the issues uncovered and solved. If everyone is in damage control mode, the real issues are not getting addressed.- Solve the problem or give a damn good reason why you couldn't. Make sure that you understand the problem or concern and then correct it. Often times, if it is a complex problem you'll need to write it all down as an email to make sure you've got it.
Find a common topic aside from the work to relate with them. This is an essential part of my protocol from the beginning. People are people. Finding a way to relate with them not only brings a personal touch to your work, but develops a relationship. Be careful though not to contrive or force this. You know when someone has tried too hard to buddy up with you. Just ask the client about themselves or some pictures that are in their office and show some genuine interest. The simple art of conversation is a key element here.
If all else fails, back out gracefully. You've done what you could. One sign of a true professional is a graceful and tactful bow-out. Ideally you'll do this in person. Phone calls are a distant second and emails are absolutely the wrong way to go. Set an appointment to meet with the client and start the conversation with "This is going to be a difficult conversation". Make sure you have rehearsed the reasons for removing yourself from the project. Also make sure to explain that you don't feel like you can meet their needs though you're confident in the quality of your work. Oh, and don't run from their office screaming.
These are just a few techniques that I've found to help work out difficult situations with challenging clients. Keep in mind the most important tenet - people are people and have lives outside of work. Though we try to be as professional as possible and crank out work like machines, we're simply going home at the end of the day to be with family and friends. ‘Relate' is the root of relationship. Find a way to relate and you'll go a long way to solving difficult situations.
Jason Kern is the founder and president of KernBuilt.com, a web development and hosting company. While helping to create and launch an online home and e-commerce site for a major national catalog, Jason had an opportunity to hone his web savvy. Since branching out on his own, Jason's focus has turned to gently leading his clients from initial idea to finished site with honesty and integrity. For more information and links to more resources, please join us at www.KernBuilt.com.
Article Source: www.businesshighlight.org
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