Is the Client Always Right?

A friend's recent comment "I got a divorce"....referencing her parting ways with a client, brought to mind an article I wrote some years ago. It is my pleasure to share it with all of you who, Heaven forbid, might one day be faced with this situation, or are already struggling with difficult clients / customers who you cannot seem to please and who are draining the life out of you.

Is the Client Always Right?

My firm has been blessed with wonderful clients over our many years in business. Recently, we experienced a different type of client experience, which has prompted me to share some thoughts in case you are ever faced with a challenging client / customer encounter.

Business owners have been indoctrinated to believe they must endure whatever a client / customer metes out. Truth be told, the maxim “the customer is always right” is simply false! If new and established business owners allow that mindset to guide them, they are hurting themselves, their employees and their business.

Every business has a limited reservoir of assets. Clients who are continuously challenging and manipulative take away time, energy and money that needs to be assigned to other areas of your business.

At my firm, no client engagement proceeds without initially ensuring, in writing, that all deliverables are agreed to. Unreasonable clients who complain that your services or product are not meeting their expectations, despite a written confirmation they concurred with, can drain a business’s resources and unfairly assault the company’s integrity. It takes only one irrational client to wear down your stamina, erode your spirit and exhaust your resources.

Strong business owners know the importance of listening to what clients envision for their organization. It adds vital intelligence regarding how you can help achieve their vision and goals. An unrealistic client may not appreciate that when cost structure is negotiated based on the client’s budget, along with time and labor intensity of the services, the final agreement may not include every discussion point the client uttered or shared via email. That is why it is useful to always be certain you heard your client correctly and both of you are in agreement on the work that will be performed.

For sure, we all try our darndest to make clients happy. The value we deliver always far exceeds our cost. Alas, I have reached the conclusion that when you’ve tried your best to manage the client’s concerns and needs and the client is still uncompromising, it is time to move on and implement your business’s finite resources on behalf of clients who are fair-minded and reasoned.

Concentrating on these clients reinforces their loyalty and avoids unnecessary chaos. There is no doubt I would rather have a portfolio full of these reasonable people, rather than depleting my resources for clients who cannot or will not be satisfied.

Author, Peter Fader, has said, “there are good clients and then there is everybody else”. In the world of client centricity, he reminds us that some clients may not deserve our best efforts. Why? Because these are people who feel they are entitled to not only consume all of the expertise enthusiastically provided, but also take advantage of your good nature to milk every complimentary value-add they can, including demands that call for substantial new work well into the business relationship and well outside the original agreement. If you recognize the manipulation and don’t comply, they artfully suggest your business doesn't have the capability. That’s supposed to be reverse psychology. Particularly, absurd and transparent when you know that they know how erroneous that allegation is. 

We work unceasingly to satisfy every client and always give 200% of ourselves and our proficiency on every engagement we undertake. This is why our clients keep coming back and referring us to others.

This one distasteful experience has impelled me to think more seriously about how to deal with this type of client in the future …God forbid, one should come along. I believe the formula is simply to convey that no one at our firm will accept being manipulated, dictated to or disrespected. We do not seek praise. Nevertheless, arrogantly dismissing our hard work and the achievements we have made for the client is not okay. If the client cannot respect and appreciate our best efforts, then, the relationship needs to end.

I believe some clients will wisely recognize the business need behind this request and make constructive changes that will help to facilitate a comfortable outcome for everyone.

And what about the others who might stubbornly rebuff any possibility of changing? This is the time to say “goodbye".

To paraphrase Oprah Winfrey, “One thing I know for sure” - Once these demanding and draining clients have taken their leave, the emotional toll they extract will be substantially reduced and our businesses will continue ascending to new heights with a portfolio of ideal clients and customers who don’t vanquish our spirit. It’s a good thing! ??