Client management: Refusing work

client management refusing work It would be lovely to think we only ever attracted dream clients to our businesses, but unfortunately we also get the occasional stinker. Here I look at client management and why refusing work is sometimes necessary.

Examples include those who ask us to undertake work that's beyond (or beneath) our expertise. In these cases we have to weigh up 'income versus annoyance' and ensure we are mindful of the potential risk to our reputation.

In my experience with client management, client-funded experimentation is rarely a smart move and work that's beneath us may well pay the bills, but it sure numbs the mind.

Then there are the 'payment pest' brigade. These are the prospects who either don't want to pay; insist on haggling; expect more than you intended to deliver, or make every conversation about money the verbal equivalent of root canal therapy.

Sometimes trouble can brew because of a simple personality clash. If this is the case we'll need to determine how that will impact our working relationship and tread carefully before making a commitment.

Finally, we have those prospects who are either devoid of values and ethics or who found theirs in some parallel universe. The easy answer? Run a mile.

So what to do when confronted with the far-from-ideal client? In many cases if the terms of engagement are crystal clear, client management and relationship issues can be overcome and indeed gradually go through a total transformation.

I hate to be harsh, but in most cases we attract 'bad' clients through our own actions (or inactions). Ouch!

Don't agree? Lay into me via a comment. Alternatively, you can share your thoughts on client management and refusal. Either way, let's commit to making 2007 a client corker.

By the way, big thanks to Dan Norris for suggesting the theme for this week's missive.

If you have a topic you'd like to see covered in a newsletter or online article, let us know.

Until next week.

Love your work,

Robert Gerrish is Flying Solo’s managing director and founder and works as a business coach, professional speaker, business commentator and consultant. He’s the co-author of Flying Solo – How to go it alone in business.

Published 16 January 07
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35 comments | Add your own 1 2 3 4 5 | Next» View all»

I think it is best to always review your own attitude and service before thinking that there is a "difficult" client. As you had mentioned if you have a sound practice, you are more then likely to protect your service from attracting misconceptions of what you do and will provide. Communication is so important to our day to day relations with clients / each other. Bj2design from South Coast, Batemans Bay
I agree, but I would even go two steps further. I say you cannot AFFORD to keep bad clients if you want your business to flourish. Keeping them signals to the universe "it's OK, send more of these my way." Saying no to the clients we don't want sends the universe a big fat YES to the ones we do want - and makes space and time for them as well. I found that whenever I decided to implement a certain change, the universe sends one or two temtpers my way, things that are just slightly better than what I had before but squarely don't qualify for the "new" category. I think it's the universe's way of asking "are you really sure about this?". And when it get's a big YES, it's as if it says "In that case, have it your way, here you are!"
Also, helping a badly matched client find someone else to work with frees up tremendous amounts of energy to tend to the clients and things you love.
Rebecca Erlewein, Japanese Acupuncture from Wellington, New Zealand
Having this exact issue at the moment.After 3 years in business (the first of which I made about $300) I now have more work than time to complete it.I have worked out a tier arrangement based on the following.1) wether they make my life easy as possible 2) They pay their bills ontime 3) the amount of work they have given in the past also increase my hourly rate or quotes on hardware if I have had problems in the past, if they go ahead with it, at least I am well compensated.Offtopic - Outlook 2007 is the bees knees for organising yourself. The colour coding of contacts and appointments is brilliant. It will be worth every cent when it is released. It would be worth a review here as it is light years ahead of Outlook 2003. Adam Randall from Adelaide
I agree Robert. Life's too short to take on board the "C" clients. Let's stick to the "A"s and "B"s. Harvey Gartrell from Wahroonga, Sydney
Really agree that client funded experimentation is not a good idea. However, some clients will collaborate in some research, which can be a win/win - I adjust my fee and we share the results. It has resulted in long term relationships of benefit to me (in less marketing) and to them (in my knowledge of their organisation). Georgina Birchall, Changing Enterprises from Canberra
agree totally with the proposal to turn away "bad" clients - after a coulpe of very bad experiences with agressive or demanding clients my wife & i sat down to write up some selection criterior for clients 1. does the inital "vibe" feel ok? 2. do they have realistic budgets? 3. do they have realistic timeframes? 4. are they negotiable? 5. are they likely to understand business hours of contact.? 6.do they pay promptly? if we feel the client may be falling down in one or more of these areas, we debate the prospect of letting them on board and reach agrrement before moving forward with them. john chisholm from perht

35 comments | Add your own 1 2 3 4 5 | Next» View all»

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