Divorcing Your Clients 101
Breaking up is hard, but sometimes customer divorce is necessary.
Once in awhile The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) publishes an article I simply must save. This past Tuesday I came across one such write-up – It Just Isn’t Working? Some File For Customer Divorce – which outlined how to bid certain clients good-bye. I immediately cut it out and decided to share my find with you.
We’ve all had them – clients we keep in order to help make ends meet or perhaps to cull some prestige by writing for their revered journal. But, deep down you may have entertained thoughts of banishing one or more of your demanding clients in a bid to recapture your sanity or perhaps to shift your energies elsewhere.
One look at the latest unemployment figures and you toss those thoughts away, but should you?
Severing Relationships
Judging by what was shared in the WSJ article, now may be a good time to remove high maintenance clients by gingerly giving them your walking papers, especially if your contractual agreement is about to come to an end.
Think about this: did you let certain clients renegotiate terms over the past year or more to their favor? Perhaps not even directly, but by default. Heck, you were so busy trying to keep you head above water that you hardly noticed that the following was happening, at least right away:
Payment Tardiness – Who likes to call a client to remind them that their payment is past due? If they’re one or two days late, you can probably handle the inconvenience, but if that same client stretches late payments out to seven, even ten days or later, does that present a hardship for you?
Don’t think for a moment that your paying a credit bill late would be overlooked; you’ll be saddled with a $39 late charge and your credit rating could take a hit.
On Demand – We freelancers pride ourselves with our customer service. I’m inspired by the level of professionalism exhibited by many of my peers, offering a clear demonstration to all that many self-employed folks certainly go the extra mile for their clients.
But, some clients take advantage of our generosity and not only push clearly marked boundaries but are bent on expanding them. The occasional special request is one thing, but not when they become the expected.
Other Work – As the WSJ article noted if you spend time chasing down delinquent payments, fulfilling special favors or doing anything else that eats up your time, that means you cannot take on work for other clients including those who may pay you more or at least on time.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been working long hours most of the past few years and I’m generally fine with that. However, when excessive hand holding, special requests, or certain changes with an agreement are demanded, then I feel used. Even abused.
Tough Times
Of course, if you have a client who is enjoyable to work with and they’ve been slammed economically like everyone else, then by all means continue with your relationship if that doesn’t cause you heartburn.
Once widespread economic recovery kicks in, I’m sure many freelancers will rethink their business relationships including asking some clients – gasp!– to pay more. Or move on.
Photo Credit: Bill Alexander
Tags: business, clients, customer divorce, freelance, The Wall Street Journal, Writing
Writing | Matthew C. Keegan, 13 Nov 09 | 
Comments (15)
Perhaps most importantly is that I realized I was suddenly disengaged from people I interacted with on a regular, if not daily, basis. I couldn’t expect them to keep up with me through personal emails, Twitter and Facebook, realizing that everyone has a limited amount of time or interest in other pursuits.