A toxic client is capable of bringing down your business, just like a clumsy employee who is always late. Well, it is obvious for entrepreneurs to take on every client that shows up, because let’s be honest that is how money comes through the door. But, some clients can be real pain – too demanding, overly choosy, constantly bickering about the smallest of the details, and never satisfied with anything. While difficulties you can tackle, but toxicity you have to cut from your business. Sometimes all the revenue may not be worth the energy they drain out of you. You could probably put this energy into something more productive – like attracting new and better customers. So, you could do yourself a favour by letting go of such toxic elements. Take a few tips:
- How do you recognize a toxic client? By taking a closer look at all your client relationships and then figuring out those ones working with whom makes you sick – mentally and physically. Then see if you can anything about it – whether it is the person who is negative or the project in all is exhausting. The next step is to make a honest analysis of the relationship whether you are being your very best self or you could do a little better. Once you’ve ruled yourself out, you can actually move on to the cleaning process.
- Some qualities of a toxic client are – disrespectful towards your work, you time and your efforts, demanding, they never seem to stick to their schedule, budget or timeline, always criticize or taunt you and your coworkers, delay payments, aggressive, and always tell you how to do your job.
- Once that is clear, you have to break the relationship very professionally, without any mess or blood-shed. Use passive voice, try not to be personal. So, avoid using ‘you’.
- Even though you are ending the relationship, make sure you keep the windows open for any future possibilities. In business, you never know who turns out to be helpful. So end by saying “maybe we get to work together again in the future when the circumstances change”.
- Never leave a client without giving them a referral. What doesn’t work for you may work out for someone else. So give them alternatives they can choose instead of leaving them high and dry.
- Always say “It was nice working with you, had a lot to learn.”
It is polite.
And follow up with an email maybe.
Again, it’s polite.
