How to Realign a Frustrating Client
Episode 748: Show Notes
Not every client relationship runs as smoothly as we’d like and, generally speaking, it comes down to communication gaps and unspoken expectations. In this episode, we break down a scenario that one of our clients experienced and share our advice for dealing with the situation. In this particular scenario, our client found that her client was treating her like an employee, despite the fact that she's technically a contractor.
Because this problem is more common than you might think, we’ve decided to share our perspective and insights into how one might navigate a situation like this. It’s easy to get frustrated, but there are ways to address communication gaps with clients and continue to nurture long-term relationships. Join us as we shed light on how to enhance the client experience while maintaining healthy boundaries for your business.
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The Danger of Unspoken Expectations
If you find that the boundaries are a bit blurred with particular clients, you’re not alone. A client of ours is actively doing a mix of project and ongoing retainer work for various clients and recently ran into an issue with a longtime client who tends to treat her like an employee, despite the fact that she's technically a contractor. With ongoing retainer work, client expectations may skirt over your boundaries, making it appear like you’re not fulfilling your end of the “bargain”.
When it comes to scheduling as a contractor, it’s normal to discuss a schedule with your client, communicating when you’re able to tackle their project. However, it’s not normal for your client to expect to set your hours for you without communicating ahead of time, and without taking into account that you have other clients. Moral of the story: Uncommunicated expectations are intentional frustrations. In this scenario, our client felt she needed to tackle the price piece first, but what should she have done instead?
How to Address Communication Gaps with Clients
When it comes to a communication gap with a long-term client, contract renegotiation certainly isn’t off the table. But first, you need to reset your boundaries as to how you work with them, how often, and what the scope of your project looks like. Before tackling the pricing conversation, you need to get back on the same page with this client and ensure that they feel good about the relationship. Closing the communication gap is always the first step. To do so, you need to be clear about your position as a business owner and restate your communication policy. We suggest that, in the case of urgent requests, you remind your client to specify the due date, regardless of whether you can complete it or not, so that you can make a calculated scheduling decision.
It’s important for long-term clients to know that they are valued but, at the same token, that your time does not belong to them unless you have agreed upon a deadline ahead of time. They need to be made aware (politely, of course) that, without prior scheduling, other projects are prioritized for that period. Basically, you need to thank them for their cooperation and gently reset your boundaries. To avoid resentment, communication gaps need to be dealt with as the first port of call, then you can look at revising your contract.
Nurturing Relationships and Enhancing the Client Experience
When it comes to enhancing the client experience, it’s important to keep the peak-and-end rule in mind. In any given experience, humans care most about the peak phase and the end phase. And although these are what will leave the most lasting impression, there are multiple opportunities to surprise and delight your client throughout the life cycle of a project. Shocker: the key is always communication. To ensure client satisfaction from start to finish, make a list of everything that must be communicated in the life cycle of the project and when each should be communicated in relation to the project timeline.
If difficulties arise, it’s important to reflect on whether you clearly communicated your boundaries and expectations and if not, consider that your cue to start. Some helpful tools we’ve identified to enhance the client experience and ensure transparency are client debriefs (or internal client check-ins for ongoing relationships), adding your office hours and response times to your email, and auto-responses on communication channels. We’ve developed an emoji system that we’ve found to be incredibly useful. It’s important to remember that the relationship is just as important as the deliverables, if not more so.
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Quote This
It's important that you address as soon as possible when there's a communication gap or resentment will be had on both sides.
Highlights
The Danger of Unspoken Expectations. [0:14:27]
How to Address Communication Gaps with Clients. [0:17:51]
Nurturing Relationships and Enhancing the Client Experience. [0:21:44]
Today’s Guest:
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
The Strategy Hour Podcast is a twice weekly show hosted by Abagail Pumphrey and Emylee Williams, the founders of Boss Project. Join us for semi-ranty biz conversations for service providers looking to ethically grow their agency businesses. Episodes cover everything from lead generation to leadership mindset to team culture and beyond.
Key Topics:
Unspoken expectations, Communication gap, Contractor vs. Employee, Client experience, Peak phase, Peak-and-end rule
