So I had another interesting ‘case’ last week. I fired a client. Not the first one I’ve fired, and I’m sure won’t be the last, but this one brought with it an interesting experience that I thought I should share with you.
The client was a referral last year. When we initially started working together, communication was sketchy. I noticed that this client would tend to get very upset when anything went wrong. If there was an error made by any member of the team, the curses flew (yep, she openly swore) and the relationship with the offending team member fizzled quickly and she usually found a way to fire them. Bottom line, she wasn’t my ideal client, but we made it work.
Over the course of almost a year, I watched her fire 5 team members of various capacities. High expectations are okay, but that seems like a lot to me. Anyway, we got into a system and worked quite well together.
So … fast forward to beginning of February. I made a mistake in a detail of an email that was sent out. She got pretty mad. She copied other team members on a snarky email to me. Yep, she swore. Childish, I thought, but okay. Although the email had gone by the eyes of five other team members, I was the last line of defence (and the one who pushed ‘send’) … so I apologized. Again.
Communication got patchy again, and what she did send was curt.
So 3 weeks after the offensive email, I decided it wasn’t work my effort to try to make her happy again. It just wasn’t working. I sent her an email and told her just that. Usually I ask for a phone meeting, but I knew in this case that was not going to make it into her calendar.
I was kind and I explained the reasons in detail. I offered double my transition time to help her bring on someone new. I would never leave a client stuck, no matter how badly I want to stop working with them.
The next morning I logged in to see her reply to my email – and she had shut me out of all of her systems … changed all the passwords. I laughed right out loud. It was exactly what I expected her to do. It was a relief, even though I have never had that happen to me before!
She was billing 20 hours a month with me, but it didn’t matter. I felt great! I have lots of other people I can call to work with that will be able to make up that revenue, and it has been a terrific week doing just that. I already have one new client on board, and have a new monthly project from an existing client.
So … the lesson here is simple. You teach people how to treat you. I say that all the time. What did I learn? To follow my instincts and not let someone treat me the way I wouldn’t treat anyone else.
Need quick tips on how you can fire a client? Here’s what I did:
1. Document reasons you want to stop working with someone. Make sure they are valid reasons – but remember that personality conflicts can also be huge factors.
2. Respectfully bring the issues to the client’s attention (several times) so they know there is something wrong. Don’t keep it to yourself. They truly may not know what you are thinking.
3. Consult with someone before you make your decision. That could be a colleague, an accountability partner or a spouse or whatever. Explain the details of the situation and make sure you are reading the situation correctly.
4. Ask for a phone meeting with the client, or send an email (whatever works!)
5. Offer notice based on your signed contract with the client. Offer more if you feel the situation warrants it. Don’t leave anyone stuck.
6. After you fire a client, replace them immediately. That means you need to pick up the phone and call your network to replace them!
As a business owner, you get to choose who you work with. There is no reason to work with someone that doesn’t fit your style. It can be hard decision to make but there really are many other people just waiting for your call.
Have you ever had to fire a client? I’d love to hear your stories too! Email me at tracey (at) yourvamentor (dot) com.
For more information on what to ask potential clients to make sure they will be a good fit for you and your business, check out my article ‘5 Great Questions to Ask in a Consultation Call‘