There was a situation recently involving one of my clients and one of their customers. (Facts have been altered to protect those involved, including me.) The customer was considered a difficult sort and the client was scrambling to make her happy. From her first contact with them, she’d laid down the ground rules, which appeared from this side to be bark loudly and threaten to bite and make them jump over themselves to please. A job that normally takes a few hours and one person had been elevated to several days and numerous people. Admirable. But stupid.
See, I know how much this customer is paying for the clients’ services. I also know how much I get out of that, and I can guess (conservatively) at how much each of the people on this job now are getting. The cost for the customer does not change, nor does the payout for the client. Yet there we all were wasting many more billable hours on this customer when the payout would be much, much smaller. And the larger question – would the customer even like the results? If not, there goes more time wasted.
To be honest, I’m the same way. I try to please and I’ll go out of my way to make a client happy. But how many times I’ve probably worked well over my fee range to do so for the sake of repeat business or good reviews? More than I should have.
It’s a fine line. We want to please, should please, should care about the referral or the return of said client. But there has to be a point when we realize the efforts involved and the mismatch of client-to-service provider just isn’t worth it.
Do you know when to let go?
I think it’s a learning curve, and we have to get burned a few times in order to learn where that line is for each of us.
I’m a believer in trusting instincts. You know when to let go in most cases, but you press on, hoping somehow or other to be able to accomplish the impossible.
Hope slamming against instinct – it’s what makes this job interesting. 🙂
Lori,
I have to tell you that I enjoy reading your blog because you discuss these tough issues. So, thanks for that.
I’ve been a freelance for longer than I’d like to admit, and I agree with you that we need to trust our instincts. There have been times from the first start-up call on a project that I’ve known things would not work out well. Unfortunately, it took me a long time to realize that I need to walk away in these situations.
Then there’s always the issue of “firing” our clients, the ones who are rarely satisfied and who give us just too much drama. I don’t think we should ever be afraid to do that, even in this economy.
Hi Cyndy,
I agree. It’s usually a waste of everyone’s time to be so focused on spinning wheels with a difficult person. I’ve dealt with all sorts of people over the years and not all of them have been easy to get along with.
For the most part, differences can be overlooked and the project can be completed successfully. But there are times, situations, or clients that just don’t fit no matter how much you want it to fit.
I agree with Devon… you learn through experience.
Hi Lori.
Funny timing. I let go of a client just yesterday.
The problem was that the client kept changing the assignment. After it happened a few times, I talked to the editor and said, essentially, “I’m concerned becuase if your publisher doesn’t really know what he wants, I can’t possibly meet expectations.”
She assured me we were now on track.
Then, Wednesday, she placed new restrictions on the reporting for the assignment again. Aaaak!
I simply had to say that I didn’t think I could hit a moving target.
One reason I was particularly comfortable giving up this assignment, however, was that it was for a regional publication that I’d have not likely got more assignments from. So I didn’t think I was cutting off future business.
Can I tell you how relieved I am to have that assignment off my plate?!
Have a great weekend.
I withdrew from consideration for a gig today. The client kept sending out emails with questions that were covered in previous materials, and it was obvious that none of the materials were reviewed. It was hoop-jumping, to see who kept responding and using that to winnow it down. I’m sure I’m the only one who responded with the type of Broadway credentials this person wanted, yet she couldn’t be bothered to answer my questions about rate/contract/royalties/work, just kept asking the same questions over and over.
So I withdrew.
If the pre-INTERVIEW process is this disrespectful, can you imagine what the actual work experience would be like?
No.