Setting Client Boundaries - 4 Tips for Handling Demanding Clients

Posted on May 07, 2013 by Anne Bachrach, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.

The important thing to remember when handling demanding clients is to take sole responsibility for establishing and managing their expectations. Manage them effectively – and everyone will remain on the same page and walk away satisfied. Fail to manage them effectively – and you’ll end up with some level of conflict (however minor or severe).

Clients will follow your lead; they will be however demanding or easy-going as your client boundaries dictates, and it’s best to establish those boundaries before the contract is signed.

1. Establish Rules from the Get-Go
Establishing rules from the get-go is ideal and will help ensure a positive client relationship. Ideally, all projects should be secured with a firm contract (that protects and supports you and your client) before any money is exchanged or any work commences. This not only ensures everyone is on the same page from the very beginning of a new relationship, it helps reduce the chances of possible conflict at any time during the project.

If you’ve been doing business without any client boundaries in place, it’s best if you do not take on any additional clients until you establish a basic contract or service agreement. If you’ve never used contracts, approach it from this angle:

• What are you clear on delivering and not delivering?
• What problems or issues have you run into in the past?
• How could you design your contract or service agreement to avoid those problems and issues in the future?
• What are the expectations they can expect from you and you from them?

You may also want to consider what you would like to do and how you would like to direct the outcome of future projects before you design the program. For example, if you design a program that makes you miserable, it’s going to be near impossible to create a positive experience for your clients. On the other hand, if you could design the program – and direct the outcome should problems arise – how would you like to do that and how would it best be done? (Be clear on what you’re willing and not willing to do.)

If you’re just starting out in business or you’re new to a specific industry, it can be difficult to establish rules when you’re not always sure what exactly will be required. That’s okay. In the beginning, you’ll have to feel your way through, client by client, until you gain complete clarity. The best advice would be: don’t do anything in the beginning that you are not willing to continue throughout your client relationship and/or for future clients – although sometimes that may be hard to know in the beginning. The internet has many resources that can be found to help you in many situations.

Communication is very important to any successful relationship. Tell the truth, succinctly and directly, and in a way that is all about them. As an example, if you’re not willing to work late hours or weekends, set your availability strictly to normal business hours, Monday through Friday (or Tuesday through Thursday). If you prefer clients do not have access to your cell phone, set up a business line with a virtual receptionist or automated voice mail that you check 2 to 3 times per day.

2. What to Do When You Change the Rules Mid-Game
If you need to change the rules mid-game, be flexible. Remember that expectations were set in motion from the onset and changing them could lead to conflict. If you must change the rules mid-game, get clear on:

1) What the client wants and expects
2) Specifics of the agreement that must be adjusted
3) Specifics of the agreement where you are flexible
4) Specific ways you will meet/exceed client expectations, even with contract adjustments.

Clarify these terms as clearly as possible before you arrange a phone conversation with the client. If you are unclear about any terms, clarify them before discussing “changing the rules.” Remember, the biggest trigger to conflict is not properly managing and meeting client expectations. If you know what the client ultimately desires, and the changes that must occur, then you know how to craft your conversation to reach a mutual agreement.

3. Handling Objections and Conflict
If client objections arise mid-project there are only three points to clarify and resolve conflict:

1) What does the client want or expect
2) What are you willing to do (and not do)
3) How can you meet/exceed client expectations while still honoring what you are willing (and not willing) to do

Arrange an in-person or phone conversation with client to review details and reach mutual agreement and follow up with details in writing (addendum) that requires signatures of all parties involved.

Don’t get caught in the drama of he said-she said because it doesn’t really matter who said what. It only matters that you honor your contractual agreements while meeting or exceeding your client’s expectations. Don’t take conflict personally. It’s not usually a personal attack – it’s usually just a symptom of a breakdown in communication and/or a lack of detailed expectation. Use objections and conflicts as springboards to refine future agreements and contracts that better protect all parties and eliminate the possibility of conflict.

4. Consult an Attorney
Not surprisingly, the best way to establishing and managing client boundaries is to consult a legal professional who can customize legal agreements for your specific business and industry. A well-crafted agreement will provide protection for you and your clients and establish a solid foundation of expectations, that should they be misunderstood, can be quickly and easily resolved. You don’t need to have the attorney involved to create a new agreement with every new client per se. Having a basic agreement or several basic agreements based on your business and what you offer are typically enough to use with any new client you work with.

Above all, keep in mind that your business will evolve as you do. Each new client relationship or project is an opportunity to clarify the desired ideal. To aid in this process, complete an objective review of each client relationship or project upon completion, by creating a simple Likes and Dislikes List, outlining specific aspects you liked or disliked at various stages of the relationship or project. Consider having a ‘debrief’ session after each project is completed to continue to enhance your processes with clients. Set up standards or procedures that can be applied to future contracts and will minimize the “dislikes” while maximizing the “likes.”