Clients are key to the growth of your business. The more the clients, the more the turnover. This said a tricky part of running a business is knowing which clients to work with and which ones to reject.
This will always be a difficult task as you risk rejecting a good client or accepting a very terrible one. Regardless, before you accept any client, you should look out for these helpful signs.
They want your service for cheap
You should be wary of clients who desire your service for the lowest and most ridiculous price. They desire quality but cannot afford your service. As such they haggle and haggle until you agree with their price. But you should not fall for this. Avoid this type of clients and if you have a cheaper option for them, you should offer it to them.
They want the service done with immediate alacrity
Normally, a client should give you enough time to deliver the service as agreed. However, if the client is giving you an outrageous or unrealistic deadline that will no doubt put unnecessary pressure on your colleagues, do well to reject such a job. If you accept such a job, you are likely to do a shabby or poor job.
They request you to complete other people’s job
You and your client are supposed to start on a clean slate or a new project. A client should not bring an uncompleted job for you to complete. If at all you have to accept such a job, you should ask key questions like: Where did that work come from? Why wasn’t it finished by that person? If you are not satisfied with the answers, you should probably say no to the offer except if the client is willing to wave the uncompleted job.
Poor communication
When clients contact you about a project, you’ll want them to cover a few main topics: scope, budget, timeline, and goals so you can immediately assess whether this a project you would be a good fit for. Pay attention to the style and frequency of communication. Use this to help you assess the client as a person and determine whether you would work well together.
They are experts in Fault-finding
If a client rips apart your sample job despite the fact that you gave your all, this is a serious sign that he/she might be difficult. Normally, when a client notices a mistake in a job, they should simply point it out without any drama. If they are dramatic, you should be conscious with them.
They never work with a contract
Any business agreement should be sealed with a contract. A contract is a binding legal document that should not be disregarded or relegated in any circumstance in a business-client relationship. If a client wants to have a free-ride without a contract, this should be a red-alert. A client should not be against having a contract to seal a business arrangement.
They want you to deliver on the job before making the offer
You should conclude on payment and every other term and condition before with the client before you actually start work. However, if work comes before the contract/terms and conditions, this might not be a good client. If you by any chance agree to do the job and deliver an awesome job, you may never hear from them again.
They don’t give you good vibes
Oftentimes, we usually have the gut-feeling that a particular client will be very difficult. So, do not ignore your gut-feelings as the client may actually be trouble. If you don’t want to depend on your gut-feelings before you make your decision about the client, you should do a background check on such a client.
