I am sure you have met them – you know, those clients who make you cringe when you see them calling. The ones who criticize everything about your business. The kind that takes forever to pay off their debts. Stubborn customers exists in every business. Today we would like to have a conversation on the best way to deal with such customers without necessarily putting your reputation at stake.

How To Deal With Stubborn Customers

1.The Earlier You Tame Them, The Better

You can spot a stubborn client during your early conversations by simply observing keenly. Does the client have unrealistic expectations? What does he or she say about their previous service providers?

If they are always bad-mouthing the companies they were working with prior to coming to yours then you might want to be a little concerned. If you’re still not sure if the client is good or bad but your instincts tell you that you need to be cautious then have them sign a document that specifies your terms of service in advance.

If you fear they’ll not pay you on time, have them pay you at least 50% deposit before you embark on the project. Alternatively, create an Escrow account and let them deposit the full payment to it.

2.Let Them Clearly State Their Expectations On Paper

When do they want to project finished? What do they have in mind about the final copy? If you can manage the expectations of your clients you can go a long way in controlling conflict and cultivating long-term relationships.

The challenge however is that in most cases, clients’ expectations are above the moon. They want you to do miracles for them on a squeezed budget. Some want you to do what’s realistically impossible. And if you fail to meet their expectations, they throw tantrums at you causing all manner of drama that can potentially damage your reputation.

In order to avoid conflicts that arise due to a mismatch of expectations, always insist on the client signing a Statement of Work (SOW). This statement should fully describe the work to be performed, its price and the timeframe within which it is to be completed. Ensure the client is in full agreement with the SOW before starting the project.

3.Don’t Be A Push Over

Yes, the customer is always right – but there comes a time when you have to assert yourself. You are running a business too and you want to operate profitably. You have bills to pay, kids to feed and taxes to pay.

If a stubborn client is always on your neck demanding for extra work hours without additional pay (going against your SOW), then you have no business working with them. If you are an interior designer or graphic designer and there is this client who keeps bringing up revisions to the completed projects make sure you clarify with them on the number of rounds of revisions you are willing to take for free. Bring any further revision requests and I’ll you charge extra fees.

4.Approach Every Heated Exchange With Wisdom

If the small altercations culminate into a full blown exchange of words you know its best to approach things with caution. Psychologists tell us that stubborn people tend to suffer from temporary hearing loss. The only opinion they hear is their own.

Thus if you are delivering an opposing opinion, your words are likely to hit a wall – such that you end up “talking at each” other instead of “talking to each other”. One way to go about getting your word across is by first acknowledging their position even if you don’t agree with it.

For instance you can say “I understand you are disappointed because we did not deliver 10 crates of tomatoes in the first batch…”. Then use words like “from my little experience” to avoid being offensive, you’ll say something like “I understand you are disappointed because we did not deliver 10 crates of tomatoes in the first. From my little experience, it’s not possible to fit such amounts in a Probox.”

This trick helps you pass your opinion without sounding offensive or defensive. While at it, remember to watch your tempo and speed of words.

5.Know When To Let Go

Losing a client is not the best thing in the world for an entrepreneur, but if you have followed all the 4 steps above with little success, it’s high time you call it quits. To maintain your professional reputation, try as much as possible to give a 30-Day notice.

This may mean powering through more days of stress, backlash and revisions; but if that’s what it takes to preserve your reputation then you have got to do it. It may be tempting to abandon the deal mid-way, but your irate client could tell others about your negligence, leading to long-term reputation damage.

Entrepreneurial Learning

Stubborn customers come in all manner of shapes, sizes and colors. By having an action plan in place from the start, you can spot them and manage your relationship with them accordingly. Some of them are actually a blessing in disguise. If you learn to treat them well, they can transform your business and give you long-term deals.