Surviving Toxic Clients: Keeping Your Sanity & Business Intact

Ah, the toxic client. You know the type — the ones that can make you want to pull your hair out, scream into a pillow, or launch your computer out the window. They’re the ones who are pushing boundaries, acting entitled, and plain rude. The bad news is that they are actually quite dangerous to your business, and that their negativity can spread like wildfire, infecting everyone they come into contact with.

As a creative professional, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with toxic clients — I suppose it comes with the territory. But I’ve had to learn that taking on clients who are not a good match for your business is not only unwise, it’s downright foolish. In fact, I’ve had to fire my fair share of such mismatches over the years. It’s not sexy. Of course, when I was a freelancer, the decision was relatively easy — as I’m only responsible for my own income. However, now I am working with a team, which makes firing a toxic client a lot more riskier.

I will say this: No matter your circumstances, the risks of taking on a bad client are just as great as the risks of letting them go and searching for a better fit. It’s essential to exercise caution and careful consideration when approaching any potential client or project. Your primary objective should always be to find the right match for your business rather than just securing a quick paycheck.

Working with a toxic client can lead to more than just lost time and resources. It can also result in damage to your company’s reputation, decreased team morale, and lost opportunities. In contrast, when you find a great client, the benefits can be far-reaching. It can lead to long-term partnerships, mutual growth, and a sense of fulfilment that comes from collaborating with like-minded individuals who share your values and vision.

So, what exactly is a toxic client?

Toxic clients can be a daunting challenge for any business owner. They can manifest in various forms, from those who exhibit a sense of superiority, unwilling to acknowledge your expertise, to those who have an insatiable appetite for your time and resources, demanding more than they initially agreed to. Some toxic clients suffer from indecision, leaving you stuck in endless deliberations that drain your productivity and momentum. Then there are the bargain hunters — those clients who never want to pay a deposit or try to box you in with over the top sow agreements. They’re always looking for ways to get more for less, and they don’t care about the impact on your business or your sanity. In short, if you feel like screaming into the abyss or quitting this shit and walking away, you probably have one.

Dealing with toxic clients can be a gruelling ordeal, one that requires patience, tact, and a firm approach to protect your business and maintain your sanity.

You might think dealing with one toxic client is not a big deal. However, the truth is that they can have a devastating ripple effect that can harm your entire company. Their negative attitude can seep into your?employees, leading to low morale, negative mindsets, decreased productivity, and high turnover rates. And if their toxic mindset becomes the norm, it can even affect how you do business which could lead to a loss of integrity and reputation. R I P.

“Everything is fine until it’s not”.

The idiom “everything is fine until it’s not” rings true when it comes to dealing with toxic clients. Unfortunately, the warning signs of a toxic client are not always obvious, and the negative impact on your business can happen suddenly and dramatically.

They may start with flowery phrases such as “we respect your expertise,” “we want you to take the reins,” or even the dreaded “we love your values, and that’s why we chose you.” However, these seemingly positive statements often serve as a warning sign of what’s to come. It often starts with small indicators, such as ignoring your advice, disrupting your production process, or being vague in their communication. However, it can quickly escalate to micromanaging, making constant additional changes, and demanding more resources than agreed upon.

As a business owner, I often wonder why clients behave in such a way. Why can’t they treat you with respect and take accountability for their role in the project? Sadly, I had to learn the hard way that they behave this way because they can. They hold the power to end the project and take it elsewhere, leaving you and your team to deal with the aftermath. For small businesses, losing a bread-and-butter or big client can be devastating.

Establishing boundaries and processes during the introductory call can help, but it’s not foolproof. Eventually, the toxic client will find their way in and wreak havoc on your business. Identifying these clients and mitigating their impact is a challenge we all face.

So, what can you do? The best course of action may be to cut ties with toxic clients as soon as possible. It’s not always an easy decision, but it’s often the most effective way to protect your business from further damage. As Frodo did with the One Ring, sometimes the best course of action is to toss the problem away before it can cause any more harm.

How We Are Batch deals with toxic clients.

At?Batch, we’ve suffered through our fair share of toxic clients and we’ve made note of a few attributes we willingly share.

The biggest issues often arise at the beginning of a project when everything appears perfect, without stress, pressure, or a timeline. Unfortunately, it’s only later, when accountability is required, such as meeting feedback deadlines or clients adhering to their budget, that we begin to see the bigger picture. As a result, we have found ourselves in many predicaments, and regrettably, we’ve had to end 90% of these projects due to their adverse impact on our studio and team.

We’ve identified a pattern to be wary of clients who use a Scope of Work Contract to their advantage or try to avoid accountability for project delays or scope creep. Such clients often break their own rules, take chances, and cross the line between what’s reasonable and unreasonable. They’re also notorious for being unreliable when it comes to payment. Furthermore we suggest you set clear project boundaries at the start of the project and use the SOW to stipulate the amount of feedback rounds, implications of delays, scope creep costs and termination clauses. This way, if things go sour, you can pull up the paperwork and force the problem at hand to be matter-of-factual. If a boundary is crossed, there should be consequences. It’s that simple and at the same time, that difficult. Putting your foot down can be scary and feel aggressive, but remember that you can do so whilst being kind. Keep the main focus on the success of your project and especially zoom in on the benefits your client will reap from an exceptionally executed project.

Do your best to find and stay on middle ground.?If you can’t, that’s okay too.?It’s then best you use that termination clause, give notice and walk away with your sanity in tact. There will be another project or client out there waiting for you.

Through our research we’ve discovered that there is an abundance of information and articles available on the internet regarding toxic clients. It is clear that this is a universal problem but it’s also clear that no one has a clear-cut solution for it either.

At the end of the day, a successful creative project relies on collaboration, mutual respect, and shared goals. It’s crucial to establish these qualities with your clients from the very beginning so that you can work together effectively and achieve your desired outcomes. We carefully try and vet each potential client at our studio to ensure they align with our values and vision before we kick-off a project. It’s not foolproof, some clients just are dicks. But this approach has allowed us to build strong, long-lasting relationships with fantastic clients who appreciate our work and trust us to deliver exceptional results.

If you feel like you align with us, we might be a good fit. Get in?touch?to book a project.

Written by: Daniéla de Lange .

Cover image by: Lenè van Heerden