The Ronettes – Baby, I Love You

Great (old) song, huh!

But I digress….

The customer is always right.

Do everything that you can do to keep the client happy.

Suck it up and keep them coming back.

Mmm, not so. There’s really only one motto that resonates true for me and that is “the client isn’t always right but they are the client. You decide if you wish to keep them…or not”

Yes, if you have been in sales for more than 2 seconds you know what I mean. Some clients push you to the brink of insanity. You bend over backwards, do everything that you can possibly do to satisfy their wants and needs and still, nada.

1. Their demands seem to escalate.
2. They treat you poorly.
3. Their needs are never-ending and always changing and you are are barely able to maintain the rest of your business.

Worth it? Well you need to decide don’t you?

But too many companies don’t sit back and really think about what that type of client is costing them For instance:

1. Are you and / or other employees suffering from depression from dealing with this individual or company?
2. Are you losing other business because you are so focused on doing the work for this one client?
3. Have you lost any employees or their enthusiasm and motivation as a result of this client?
4. Are you losing money for every hour that you are doing their work? (This usually means that they have beat you up on price too!)
5. Has your business development and sales efforts gone to the dogs because you simply don’t have the time to execute the initiatives?

Now I ask you, are they worth it?

Perhaps not. But before you pull the proverbial plug how about this:

1. Request a meeting with the client and in a non combative manner lay out what is happening. Make certain to phrase it in such a way as you are looking out for their best interests. Remember that WIFM rules.
2. Provide options. It can’t be your way or the highway UNLESS of course you don’t really care if you lose your account.
3. Have a backup plan. How will you make up the sales revenue if the account decides to bolt? Have you covered your a–?

Give it your best shot. No one wants to lose or divorce a client but sometimes it is the best course of action for you and your business.