Yikes! What Do I Do With This Difficult Client?

Everyone gets them. Coaches, VA’s, healers, no matter what your business, the “difficult client” can show up.

Difficult clients can be demanding, picky, perfectionistic, and/or have unrealistic expectations. They often project responsibility onto you that really belongs to them.

For these people, it’s much easier to blame you for their disappointment than to own it and look at their own part, which results in an unpleasant situation for you. Your gut turns queasy, your blood pressure rises, and your stress level doubles.

It’s even worse if you’re a people pleaser. Your instinctive reaction is to continually try harder to please, but that doesn’t always handle the problem.

Rather than feeling grateful and appreciating the extra effort you’re putting in, the difficult client may simply feel justified in receiving his or her due.

You could end up feeling resentful of putting in that extra effort, and in some cases, the client simply becomes more demanding and continues to be “difficult.”

It becomes a vicious cycle, with you on the defensive, always trying to please, and the client always barely satisfied. “Yikes” is right. What a recipe for misery.

So, what do you do with a difficult client?

1.  Look for warning signals before you even take them on as a client, and then just say no! Tell them you don’t think the two of you are a good “fit.” They will often show signs of being perfectionistic and demanding right off the bat. You can tell by their expectations, so pay attention!
     
One of the biggest red flags is if they complain about people they’ve worked with in the past. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there was really something very wrong with that person or service, and you can do better.

Even if your potential new client seems thrilled with you, and is sure you’ll provide what the other(s) lacked, chances are they’ll end up disappointed in you too.

Their excitement at finding you will often quickly turn to disappointment in something. Why? Because it’s usually their 
perspective and how they approach your service that’s the problem, not you or your service.

2.  Look  for the opportunities. Ok, let’s say they slip through your screening, or you decide to take the chance on them anyway, and you’re in the middle of one of those stressful, gut twisting, difficult situations.

Now what?

Stay positive and look for the opportunities:

Opportunity #1: Sometimes, these clients can be turned into your biggest fans! Come from integrity in what you do, and from service, and do your best to listen and then help them.

This does NOT mean to fall into the people pleasing trap. Don’t please them at all costs. Set boundaries that are fair to you to, so you don’t feel resentful. They can sense the difference, and will respect you for it.

Opportunity #2: Look into your own life to see where you might be, or have been, a “difficult client” yourself, particularly in the way the client in front of you is showing up. Even if it’s only a fraction of difficulty, take responsibility and correct the situation.

In other words, don’t be the type of client you don’t want, in any way, shape or form . . . even if you have to stretch.  Because the law of attraction will then bring that same type of person to you, guaranteed. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Opportunity #3: When you’re alone, take a deep breath, grab onto your courage, let go of defensiveness and self-righteousness, avoid making excuses, and look at the person’s complaint objectively and head-on.
      
What’s really going on? Is there an opportunity in there for you to improve your service? To handle a situation that’s a challenge for you?   Maybe the answer is to simply to be clearer when setting expectations with clients.

Whatever your conclusions, ask yourself: What can I do differently in the future that might prevent this type of complaint?

3.  Fire them. That’s right, send them on their way. If you’ve done all of the above and you have a client that continues to be a problem and is not happy, for both your sakes it’s time for them to move on. 
     
No amount of money is worth giving up your peace of mind. You don’t need their approval either. Let go of both. You’ve done your best, and the space that opens up energetically is better filled by an ideal client.

Focus your intention and your marketing efforts on attracting ideal clients, and they will come.