I have had a lot on my mind lately, which has given me a serious creative block these last few weeks. I thought I’d write about what’s been on my mind, hoping that it will help me get back in “the zone.”
It’s bound to happen at some point or another. Truth is, as much as you’d like to, you can’t please everyone and you can’t make everybody like you. It doesn’t matter how much you work or how hard you try, it just won’t happen.
Below are a few guidelines that should be followed to avoid difficulty with clients down the road.
Set Up Realistic Expectations, Up Front
The best way to deal with a difficult client is to avoid creating one. Right from the beginning, the client needs to be given realistic expectations of what you are able to deliver. Don’t overpromise or underbid just to get a job.
- You should never quote a price up front unless you have a clear vision of what the project entails. Make sure you understand the entire scope of the project. It is very difficult to change pricing once numbers have been thrown out. Your customer will almost always only hear the lowest number.
- Make sure the client is aware that changing a design or adding an additional feature also changes the parameters of the project. If the design changes as a result of the client’s feedback, the project should be re-evaluated and new deadlines should be set.
- Set deadlines and stick to them. Make sure the customer is aware that their delay is holding up your process.
- Specify one point of contact for the duration of the project. Too many contacts means too many opinions. You need to have clear and concise feedback from one person.
- Make sure the client understands what their responsibilities are for the project. Make sure duties are outlined, calling out specifically what you are providing and what the customer is to provide.
- Do not let your client dictate how the project is managed. They do not have any knowledge of your product or processes. You, as the professional, should educate them why certain processes take longer than others and why certain steps need to take place in order to have a successful project and meet deadlines.
Avoid Personal Relationships with your Customers
When it comes to your customers, they need to understand that while you may be friendly towards them, you’re not necessarily their friend. .
You can share personal anecdotes from time to time, when its appropriate, but again, keep it light and professional. Avoid using slang or common vernacular from every-day conversation. Make them understand that while you are sharing something from your personal life, you are still keeping it strictly professional. This is good advice in general, when communicating with anyone at work, including co-workers.
Don’t Give Anything Away for Free Until the End of the Project
Just don’t. It sets a precedent and they begin to expect free stuff throughout the rest of the project. They will not appreciate anything you give them once you give them that first freebie.
Once the project is complete (and you have time to look at your profit margin), then you can (and should) consider giving a gift to your client, as a way to say “thank you” for the business and that you enjoyed working with them. The client at this point will be much more appreciative, as they were not expecting it and you will send them off with a fond memory of working with you and hopefully more business will follow in the future.
When You’ve Done All That You Can Do, Complete the Job to Your Best Satisfaction and Graciously Bow Out
My boss is great at analogies and he often shares his “pizza” story to make this point.
You are the owner of a pizza restaurant that offers “the perfect Pizza or it’s free”. You get a call from a customer and your deliveryman brings it to them. They complain that there is not enough sauce on the pizza, so they get a free pizza. The next night, the same customer calls and orders another pizza. They receive the pizza and then call to complain that the crust was not crunchy enough, so they get another free pizza. They do this a third time, complaining that there is not enough cheese this time. Three free pizzas later, and they order another one. This time, the owner of the store delivers the pizza. The owner pleasantly says to the customer: “I wanted to deliver this pizza to you personally because it is the last one I will deliver to you. I apologize for the first three pizzas, and it seems that I unfortunately am unable to meet your very high standards. Thank you for your business and enjoy this pizza.”
I think this is a great story and illustrates perfectly that you just can’t please everyone, or make everyone like you and sometimes you need to cut them loose. If you get to the point where you feel in good conscience that you’ve done everything you can to make the problem client happy and have completed the project to your satisfaction, then it’s time to bow out graciously.
Once the Project is Complete, the Stressful Part of the Process Will [Hopefully] Be Forgotten
The great thing about art is that once most people see the end product, they forget about all the stress they may have experienced as it was coming together. All they see in the end is (hopefully) beautiful artwork.
In closing, do everything to set up realistic expectations up front and communicate clearly if things change. These two key factors should help you avoid creating a nightmare customer, but sometimes it can still happen.
Schmitty out.