Not all customers are pleasant. In fact, chances are you have had at least one – and probably many more – that have been so difficult that you have had to fight not to grind your teeth into dust. Sometimes, irritating clients just have to be dealt with, and with the same courtesy as anyone else. But how do you know when it is time to say ‘enough’ and cut your losses?
The first way of knowing is deciding whether or not it really is a loss. A customer who takes up a great deal of time and energy might be costing you more than they are making you. If you find yourself dealing with constant late payments, low fees, or just a great deal of stress in yourself and your employees, there is a good chance they aren’t making you enough to justify keeping them around.
Another is just the irritation factor. You really don’t have to put up with a customer that is out of hand. If they persistently rub you the wrong way, mistreat you or staff, or are late on payments or constantly retract bids and promises, it is alright to tell them to take their business elsewhere. There is no rule saying you have to sacrifice your sanity for a couple of bucks you can likely make up with another client. And letting them go will give you the ability to search for one.
But there is a right way and a wrong way of conducting this sort of situation. The relationship between a company and a customer is a delicate one, much more than you might think. When you let a client go you are risking word getting out to other potential customers. Which is why you have to handle it with professionalism, grace, and courtesy. Read more…
