Customer Service Information |
|
Dont Work with Jerks: How to Recognize a Difficult Client Early
Five minutes into the call I knew this client was going to make my life miserable. The problem was, I already said "Yes." Into every professional practice falls a little rain, or better said...walks in a nightmare client. You start losing sleep by a couple of hours every night, you keep thinking about her project during your lunch time, and you feel like your life has been taken over by this client. What a nightmare! Didn't we go into the business for ourselves to enjoy it? Do we not have the choice of who to work with? Of course, we do! The challenge is in recognizing a difficult client early enough to say "No." So how do you do that? First, determine what "difficult" means to you. It may mean different things to different people. For example, while some professionals will be happy to take a phone call from a client between 9 and 5, others may have a special time set aside for phone calls. While some business owners love getting detailed specifications for a project, others may feel trapped and limited in their creativity. 1. What is a difficult client To help you decide what things may be important to you, here are some of the most common traits of difficult clients: - They do not respect your time - They tell you how to do your work - They always check up on you - They constantly change their mind about a project - They knit pick over every detail - They try to intimidate you into doing things you haven't agreed to - They treat you as if they're the boss and you are the employee - They have little respect for your expertise - They call you at a non-scheduled time - They frequently e-mail you with questions, requiring long replies - They ask you to throw in a few extras without offering to pay extra - They keep reminding you how high your fees are - They are frequently disappointed with your work - They won't pay on time, but ask you to continue working with them - They frequently cancel or reschedule your meetings - They believe they're your only client, & demand your full attention You can complete this list by adding a few other traits that you find annoying or unacceptable in your business, or to your life style. 2. Red flags: Early warnings of a difficult client Once you know what's important to you, how do you look for signs that this may be a difficult client? First of all, listen to your intuition. It's easy to ignore the red flags, especially if you're hungry for business. "Your gut is never wrong," one IT consultant said. "Whenever I've ended up with a nightmare client, it's because I didn't listen to my instinct and I went for the zeroes." Listen to your instinct. Additionally, do your best to avoid clients that: - Don't want to sign a contract - Are in a rush - Are looking for the cheapest provider - Are your friends and relatives Create a profile of your ideal client, and check every prospect against it before taking them on. "This is crazy!" you may be thinking. "Won't choosing clients so carefully cost me business?" Not really. Usually, you will spend more time on a difficult client (time that you could spend prospecting, working with other clients, or simply taking a break), your mood and personal life may become affected by this project, and you may even end up not being paid at all! Screen your prospects carefully, and instantly improve the quality of your business life. 3. Assessments - your best friend in screening clients After reading this, you may be thinking that screening takes too much work and time. Bear with me, because this task has just become as easy as 1-2-3. You can completely automate the screening process, by asking your prospects to complete an assessment before you take them on. The questions you ask should include the things that are important to you as a business owner, and as a person. You may ask them about how they worked with professionals in the past, what their style of communication is, how much time they plan to devote to this project, what their deadline is, how committed they are to completing it, and so on. Refer to your ideal client profile when putting together a list of questions. The fact that they're willing to spend time answering an extensive list of questions already shows that this is a serious prospect, and helps you weed out as many "time-wasters" as possible. 4. Automating your screening process So how do you actually automate the screening process? Very simple. You can use AssessmentGenerator.com, a tool that allows you to create your own forms and assessments, and have them on your web site within minutes. Whenever you get a new prospect, send them a link to your online assessment and ask them to complete it before your first call. AssessmentGenerator does not require you to know any HTML or install any scripts. Simply enter your questions and the e-mail address, where you want to receive completed assessments, and it's ready to be added to your site. You can also create self-scoring assessments, where you and your prospect can see a score based on how they answered questions. Self-scoring assessments are great when you want to work only with clients who reached a certain level of readiness in something. For example, you may only want to work with business owners who understand the importance of marketing. Their assessment score will show you how ready they are to work with you. Conclusion Many professionals already conduct assessments when they first meet their clients. The problem is, they do it over the telephone, which means they have to set aside a half-hour or more to determine if this prospect is their ideal client. If he or she is not, then they have just wasted their precious time, which could've been spent on a more productive activity. Automating the screening process with AssessmentGenerator.com will make your life easier and business more enjoyable. Here's to ideal clients and a stress-free business! You may reproduce this article in your electronic or print newsletter (opt-in publications only), or on your web site, as long as the byline and full credit are included with the article and all hyperlinks remain intact. A courtesy copy of your publication is appreciated. About The Author Milana Leshinsky is the founder of ACCPOW, Association of Coaching & Consulting Professionals on the Web. Stop giving away your time! Give away FRE/E assessments instead! Create custom online assessments in 5 minutes http://www.AssessmentGenerator.com
MORE RESOURCES: NBAA Unveils Customer Service Training Certification Program Aviation International News Hassan and Marshall legislation to improve government customer service signed into law Nashua Telegraph AT&T Unveils Industry-First Service Guarantee with Automatic Bill Credits for Network Outages StockTitan How ACI Worldwide is deploying AI Payments Dive Infographic: How Simon Roofing Improved Its Customer Service with Microsoft Dynamics 365 MSDynamicsWorld CSPI & Nutrition Action Customer Service CSPI Newsroom AT&T to Credit Customers After Internet Outages The New York Times What Keeps Healthcare CIOs Up at Night: Balancing Technology Investments with Consumer Expectations MedCity News SIGNED INTO LAW: Senators Hassan and Marshall’s Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Government Customer Service Maggie Hassan Oracle and NVIDIA Join Forces to Drive AI Innovation in Bank FinTech Magazine AT&T Unveils First & Only Customer-First Promise Across Both Wireless & Fiber Networks; Plus, Customer Care & Deals Canada NewsWire Valvoline Ranked Among Best in Customer Service AftermarketNews.com (AMN) What’s the future for customer service and hospitality in coffee? Perfect Daily Grind Cents Launches Cents Assist, the First AI-Powered Call Center Built for Laundry Businesses PR Newswire Arrest of AT&T rep highlights why it's important to always double-check what you agree to Android Authority SailPoint Recognized as a 2024 Gartner Peer Insights™ Customers’ Choice for Identity Governance and Administration Business Wire Banglalink launches AI-based customer service chatbot Telecompaper EN Vontier’s Driivz extends its offering to provide Call Center and Network Operation Center (NOC) Services GlobeNewswire NorthStar Moving Ranked #1 Moving Company for Customer Service in Newsweek's 2025 List The Manila Times Is a hybrid AI-human model the key to superior customer service? Interesting Engineering As the cost of living bites, good customer service becomes priceless Region Illawarra My experience as a Customer Service and Sales Intern Toby Shapiro's Experience at A.D. Sutton and Sons Chapman University Customer Service & Support Hillsborough County (.gov) Sprout Social launches 2025 index Marketing Beat My Utilities Account City of Santa Clara America's Best Customer Service 2025 Newsweek Celebrate Customer Service Week City of Riverside, California (.gov) Fulton County Recognized as a 2024 National Customer Service All Star Fulton County Government Charter Names Robyn Tolva Senior Vice President, Customer Service Reliability | Charter Charter Communications Welcome to Riverside Public Utilities City of Riverside, California (.gov) Customer Assistance Programs DC Water Attorney General Bonta Demands Better Customer Service for Californians California Department of Justice 8 strategies for using AI for customer service in 2024 Sprout Social President Biden Announces New Customer Service Actions, Targets Subscriptions and ‘Doom Loops’ CX Today Shep Hyken, HPU Customer Service Expert, Mentors Students and Staff High Point University 11 key elements of excellent customer service Business.com Sysdig earns top accolade in Gartner customer choice 2024 SecurityBrief Australia Department of Transportation | Department of Transportation Governor Tom Wolf Can artificial intelligence rescue customer service? The Economist Video Quick Take: Intercom’s Brian Donahue on How AI Agents Can Be Your First Tier of Customer Service Support HBR.org Daily I CARE VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs SUN Bucks: Pennsylvania’s Summer EBT program Governor Tom Wolf Opinion: If it’s not dead already, customer service is certainly on life support Asheville Watchdog Updated Customer Service Hours - Several Departments Downtown Riley County Official Website What Your Business Can Learn From Southwest Airlines Business.com Conway Corp employees win MACTA Customer Service awards Log Cabin Democrat Office of Developmental Programs Governor Tom Wolf One Stop PGH Pittsburgh PA.gov Contact Us - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) National Park Service BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Forbes bizfile California Secretary of State IRS Should Ensure Customer Service Enhancements Are Accessible for Taxpayers with Disabilities National Taxpayer Advocate |
RELATED ARTICLES
4 Things Your Clients Want From Your Company Sure, all clients are different. They have different kinds of strengths, weaknesses, cultures and goals. How To Boost Your Bottom Line With Two Little Words I hate to sound like one of those cheesy get-rich-quick commercials, but this week I am going to let you in on a little secret that is so powerful that it will immediately change the way you do business.In fact, this little secret is so powerful that you will be amazed at its immediate effect on you, your employees, and your bottom line. Increase Sum in Your Check Account with Follow-Ups We'll be examining what makes follow up to prospects/customers so important on our online world today.Are you familiar with this scenario?Joined an affiliate program with good pay-out. Does Your Customer Talk Back To You? What is your customer saying about you? Do you really know? Does your customer really know who you are?If you don't know what your customer thinks about you, your business, your product and your services, then you might as well close shop!A customer is the lifeblood of every business and you must always strive to be in tune with what your customer thinks and how they feel. Don't leave your customers unattended and in the dark. Write a Business Thank-You Note Have you seen that thing on TV where the gal tellsthe nerd she wonders why he never asked her tomarry him and he stumbles and says "Thank You" andshe turns to butter?The point of the message is that "Thank You" goesa long way to making people feel better.Personally and in business, develop the "ThankYou" habit. Handling Customer Complaints Even the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint. Knowing how to resolve these complaints will help you gain loyal customers who will then refer others to your business. Modern Call Center Solutions - Keeping in Touch is the Key Call center solutions solve a range of age-old problems. As far back as ancient times, the success of a business has always depended on how well that business can communicate with clients and meet their needs. The 3 Rs of Customer Service What I am about to tell you may seem very obvious - you may even say DUH!!! but the fact is, - many company's forget the 3 R's of good customer service- Respect your Customer, Take Responsibility for Your Actions and Products and give your Customers a Full REFUND when it just isn't right. I promise you that if you follow these 3 simple rules you will never have to run after the same customer again!Respect the customer! Just about as plain as the nose on your face Right? Wrong!How many times have you been greeted in a less than courteous manner or worse yet- not at all!! Never lose the opportunity to make a great first impression- very rarely do you have a second chance to undo the damage done by that first encounter. Breaking the Ice and Winning Over the Client! Wherever you turn these days you'll find articles covering every business strategy and tactic available to man, from how to make a great presentation to strategies for success all the way to negotiations and prospecting and getting a client to commit. But hardly anyone touches on the subject of breaking the ice with a new client and winning them over. Dealing with People - Words to Avoid You probably realise how the wrong tone of voice andnegative body language can cause problems when dealing withother people, particularly customers and staff. However,using the wrong words can also cause problems. Caring for Your Customers You probably think I am going to say something like, "The customer is always right." Right?? Wrong. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder However, in the world of business, this cliché may not necessarily be true. Sometimes it can be more like 'Out of Site, Out of Mind'. Making the Connection: Customer Relationships That Build Your Business Have you ever wondered why you often find a coupon tucked inside your cereal box, or get invited to a customer preview sale at your favorite department store? Those companies know that their existing customers are the best - and most profitable - customers they'll ever have. So it's not surprising that they'll do whatever they can to keep these customers happy and coming back again and again. Listen to Suggestions If you are up to your ears in a stressful situation, it becomes difficult to think clearly. Sometimes, it is best to walk away from a problem, and think about it, rather than try to solve it with an instant solution. Dont Forget your Existing Clients Quest for new clients shouldn't ignore those who pay the billsAcquisition. It's a big word in small business marketing. Foolproof Customer Service Strategies (That Only A Fool Would Try!) Ever notice how customer service varies from store to store? You walk into some stores, and before you can say "Buzz off!" a salesperson asks "May I help you?""No thanks.""May I help you?" asks another. The Art of Giving Great Service Sales is tough to get right, and depends on retaining those customers, yet people do it badly and unprofessionally all the time. It's really not difficult to learn the art of good service, and if you get it perfect, you will see those rewards. Make Sure You Get The Customer Perspective Businesses that fail, often forget to seek out the customer perspective. I have talked to some folks at businesses that were less than succesful, and when asked if they actively seek out customer comments, the answer invariably is no. It Is All About Customer Service! In this day of terrible customer service, it should come as no surprise that serving your customers, also known as visitors to your web site, must be a top priority. Forget about return on your investment, how your site looks, keywords, meta tags, and the like. Developing A Customer Complaint System BackgroundThe company was experiencing an increase in the number of customer complaints and an increase in the cost of processing them and we were hired to analyze the current situation and develop recommendations to increase the effectiveness of the process of administering and resolving the complaints.Identify Customer Requirements A consultant was assigned to the design of customer service systems and complaint processes, and who had done extensive work in QFD (Quality Function Deployment), which is a methodology that analyzes the needs of the customer and integrates them with the company processes to ensure the needs are met. |
home | site map |
© 2006 |