Set Up a Payment Schedule
Change the ways that you accept payments. If you have a client who is notorious for paying late, ask for the balance before you start doing the work – or 50% and then 50% upon completion. This makes sure that the money is already in your account and you don’t have to worry about the hours chasing them afterwards.
Learn to Say No
No is a very good word in business and you need to learn to use it. So, you have a client who wants to communicate with you 24 hours a day, at a minute’s notice. Politely tell them that that isn’t possible due to other commitments but you are willing to set up an time that suits the two of you. You have a client who wants the work done yesterday but isn’t willing to pay extra for the rush, polite explain that you have other deadlines and can’t fit the project in.
Offer Alternatives and Solutions
If your client is being picky about the work you have done or there has been a problem with an order, start by offering solutions or alternatives. If the problem that’s arisen wasn’t in the original specification, offer to add that but for extra cost; after all, it wasn’t your fault. This will depend on the way that the client has made the complaint and whether you can do anything to help.
Negotiate a New Contract
Never take a contract for longer than 90 days. This allows you to renegotiate it if you find the client is overly demanding and troublesome. It could involve raising your prices or setting a maximum workload.
Remain Polite and Friendly
No matter how rude a client becomes or how difficult the situation is, remain friendly and polite in your dealings. Being rude back will only affect you in one way – negatively! The client will leave a review somewhere online that will potentially harm your business.
Respond Carefully to Public Negative Feedback
Everyone wants to respond to negative feedback and give their side of the story but you need to be careful in how you respond. Take a step away from the computer and calm yourself down before typing. You want to sound professional to others, even if the client was a problem on.
Fire Them!
Sometimes the only way to deal with a problem client is to fire them. If they break contracts, are overly demanding or rude, then step away and let someone else deal with them.