Spot It.
A handful of customers take up a big share of your team's time and energy. They push back on every invoice, keep changing the scope, demand immediate answers and are rarely satisfied. Your team dreads their calls, and morale suffers every time their name comes up.
Sight It.
Difficult customers often stay difficult because no one has set boundaries or measured what they cost to serve. Expectations may have been unclear from the start. Saying yes to unreasonable requests taught them what to expect next time. And the business may be afraid of losing the revenue, even if the account isn't actually profitable once you count the extra hours.
Solve It.
Set boundaries and decide on purpose:
- Identify your most difficult accounts and estimate the time and cost to serve each one.
- Put expectations in writing: response times, scope, change orders and payment terms.
- Have a calm, direct conversation with each customer about how you will work together going forward.
- Back up your team when they hold the line.
- If an account still isn't workable, consider raising the price or ending the relationship respectfully.
Protecting your team is part of serving your good customers well.
Fixed it yourself? Great. Want help making it stick? Talk to a Troubleshooter.