Upset Clients | How to Avoid Them & What to do When You Have Them
Thank you to our sponsors!
Save on your first year of Honeybook using this link!
Join The Branding Business School Waitlist
Links mentioned in today’s show:
Let’s be real, no matter how much we try to avoid it, there will always be times when a client isn’t happy. In today’s episode, unlock the secrets to turning challenging client interactions into opportunities for growth and stronger relationships. Learn how to effectively manage and mitigate client dissatisfaction by employing mutual respect, clear communication, and empathy. This episode is packed with actionable strategies such as a thorough vetting process and setting clear expectations from the outset, ensuring that conflicts are minimized and smoother project executions are achieved. Whether it's handling difficult conversations with professionalism or using direct phone communication to de-escalate tense situations, Victoria offers practical tips and real-life examples that will help you maintain a positive rapport with your clients.
Discover the power of empathy in navigating client mishaps as Victoria shares personal stories and lessons learned. From addressing misunderstandings in project scopes to dealing with aggressive client behavior, she emphasizes the importance of listening empathetically and responding without defensiveness. Hear about real-world scenarios where small gestures of goodwill, like a Starbucks gift card, made a big difference in client satisfaction. Victoria also discusses the significance of maintaining professionalism even in the face of hostility and the value of having a cancellation clause in contracts. Tune in for valuable insights on building resilient client relationships that can withstand the inevitable bumps along the road.
Respect is a two way street [01:44]
At BrandWell, it is clear from the get-go that while they are there to serve their clients, respect is a non-negotiable. This means that no matter how upset a client may be, they will always respond with professionalism and kindness because they truly do respect the women that they are working with and they hope and expect that same respect in return. The way you speak to a client can either de-escalate or escalate a situation in a matter of seconds. When we see an email come through that is clear that the client is unhappy or frustrated, our natural response is to defend ourselves or to respond with the same level of intensity. Remember, you cannot control how they treat you, but you can control how you speak to them. If possible, always try to get the client on the phone and avoid responding to an upset client with an email. When you get them on the phone, you are able to use your tone, and your words can then help de-escalate the situation. Remind your client that you have the same end goal as they do and that’s why they hired you.
Vetting Your Clients on the Sales End [04:56]
One of the most effective ways to prevent upset clients is by having a thorough vetting process on the sales end. Before you ever sign a client, it is important to make sure that they are a good fit for your business. The vetting process is not just about qualifying the client, it’s about making sure that both sides are aligned in terms of vision and goals, and most importantly, expectations. It’s far better to turn down a client that isn’t a good fit, than to end up in a situation where neither party is happy. Vetting your clientele before they become clients of your business often comes down to seeing if they are a good personality fit, making sure that your business has the skills and the resources to solve whatever problem that they’re looking to get solved by you, but also, it’s taking the time to properly set the expectation for your client before they ever become a client.
For BrandWell, this process begins on their website. There a prospective client can find their pricing, what their package includes, and the process of working with BrandWell. After they have been able to read all of that information and do their own research, the prospective client still has to book a consultation call. This call is where Victoria or Lauren will decide if BrandWell is a good fit for the prospective client and vice versa. After that call, they will have another call, the demo call, which is where they will go more into the “how” of the process and BrandWell’s approach to it all.
The reason there are all the layers to this vetting process is so that the proper expectations are set and then you can not only deliver on those expectations, but you can exceed them.
Open Communication [07:52]
Even with the best vetting processes in place, things can still go wrong. This is where open communication becomes so important. At BrandWell, open and honest communication is prioritized from day one of the project until it’s complete. This begins with setting up regular check-in’s with clients. The purpose of this is to touch base and let them know that you’re working on their project and give a date on when they can expect to see a deliverable from you, or even asking the client for forms or anything else you might need from them. This not only ensures that the project keeps flowing, but they also serve as a weekly opportunity to touch base with the client and see how everyone’s feeling.
When you’re not providing information, when you’re not setting the expectation, it will be made up in your client’s mind and that’s when resentment begins to build and frustration occurs. When you don’t go out of your way to provide the information to your client, they will make it up on their own, and very rarely are they correct.
It’s not always about giving updates to your client either, communication also means taking the time to listen well, too. There are many stages throughout the design project where BrandWell asks for feedback, and that gives the clients the opportunity to voice any concerns they do have early on, before it turns into a bigger issue.
Recap: Three Things to Avoid Having Upset Clients [16:32]
Vetting your audience before you sign on a new client. Making sure to take the time to set the expectations so that everyone is going into the project with the same idea of what’s about to happen and there are no surprises or letdowns for your client along the way.
Keeping an open line of communication. Touching base with your client frequently to maintain those expectations and allowing for open and honest feedback.
Ask for Feedback. If there are any problems that arise, by asking for feedback you are able to address them early on, before they become big issues that are too hard to resolve.
Even with having the best vetting process in the world, you can still have client hiccups. So next we’ll talk about three things to do when you are dealing with an upset client.
Three Steps When Dealing With an Upset Client
Listen and Be Empathetic [18:13]
A lot of times, when clients are upset, they just want to feel heard and understood. Let them explain their concerns fully before you interrupt them and try to defend you and your business. Nothing will escalate a conflict more than if you start interrupting while they’re trying to tell you what they’re upset about and you immediately go on the defensive. Show empathy by acknowledging their feelings, even if you don’t agree with their perspective, it can go a long way in diffusing the tension.
Take Responsibility and Find a Solution[19:39]
Once the client has been able to address their concerns, it’s time to take responsibility for your part in the situation. It does not mean taking the blame for something that was not your fault, but it does mean acknowledging where things might have gone wrong.
What’s in the past is in the past. After you’ve apologized for anything that was your fault, or taken responsibility for any area where you could have done something differently, now it’s in the past. All efforts now need to be on finding a solution. Find a compromise that’s going to have everyone happy and sometimes it does require compromise on both ends. Don’t be so set in your ways that you’re not able to empathize with a client and maybe compromise a little, even if it’s not a part of your contract. Your business is what you sell, but your brand is why people buy it. This is the experience that you’re giving. This is what people are telling their friends about.
Follow Up and Rebuild Trust [23:39]
After you resolve the issue at hand, don’t just move on as if nothing happened. Follow up with the client to ensure that they’re satisfied with the solution that you both decided on. This could be a quick email, but sometimes it’s nice having that human to human or face to face connection on a quick call to rebuild trust with a client if some of that trust was lost. The follow up also shows that you really do care about your customer experience and it’s not just a line on your website, because when you follow up with a client after an upsetting experience, it shows that you are committed to making things right.
Control How You Respond [36:56]
Victoria shares a couple experiences where she has dealt with upset clients through BrandWell, and in both real-life examples, even though the situations were escalated, Victoria handled them respectfully and professionally. In both scenarios, the clients came back to Victoria months later, apologizing for how they reacted and treated BrandWell. So, when you run a business and you’re serving a lot of people, handle the situation in which you’re not the one having to apologize months down the road.
Dealing with upset clients is never easy, never fun, but it is the reality of running a business. You’re not alone. If you’re going through this, it’s not you, it’s just entrepreneurship. You can’t control how clients treat you, but you can control how you respond. If you have a thorough vetting process on the sales end, you maintain open communication throughout the project, and you ask for honest feedback and listen to what they are saying, then you can minimize the chances of encountering upset clients. But, when they do arise, just remember these three steps. Listen empathetically, take responsibility, and follow up.
Key Quotes
“You can’t control how clients treat you, but you can control how you respond.”
Victoria Marcouillier
Stay connected!
Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow BrandWell Designs on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
LEAVE A REVIEW + and SHARE this episode with someone who wants to build a go to brand in this online era. You can listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
