17 replies
Warriors,

Anybody have any good stories about firing clients? I just sh!t canned a client that I took on 3 weeks ago for peanuts. I actually gave him a cheaper price when I met him awhile ago because I was a little hungrier then.

I received emails and phone calls once a week saying that he's upset that he's not seeing results. I told him you won't see immediate results and these things take months.

Finally received an email from him today asking for the progress of what's going on and how upset he was that he's not seeing results. I sent him a huge progress report on what me and my team had been working on just days before this email. He then told me that I never told him that it would take months, when in fact I told him several times before that it would take months.

I gave him a full month refund and told him sorry but I can't work with you anymore. He was pretty upset and said that I shouldn't get so offensive.

Even though right now I'm still a bit discouraged, I am extremely happy that I have the ability to tell clients that our working partnership isn't working out.

I am all about making my clients happy. It makes me happy when they're happy, but some people you just can't please.

Sorry. Just had to vent...
#clients #firing
  • Profile picture of the author redlegrich
    The ability and freedom to fire clients is a nice thing to have. I met a guy here in Seattle who does SEO. He approaches it from the "I build a site that ranks and lease it approach". If the client does not pay or has issue he fires them and finds someone else to take over the site within days. He is in total control. I envy him ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Stephen Allen
    Its really annoying when clients don't listen at the start!! well done ,some people wouldn't have the guts for that!
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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Carl Kelly
    Originally Posted by davidjames42973 View Post

    Anybody have any good stories about firing clients? I just sh!t canned a client that I took on 3 weeks ago for peanuts. I actually gave him a cheaper price when I met him awhile ago because I was a little hungrier then.
    Yes, that's one of the corners we can paint ourselves into when we're too eager to sell our valuable services for almost nothing. If we condition our customers to pay peanuts, then they'll always expect the world for peanuts (at least from us).

    We find that we almost never discount our services. We've turned down clients who only wanted to take on our services if we would offer them a price break. Interestingly, sometimes after walking away from discount demands like that you'll find that those very same people will come back to you, ready to pay full price, at a later date.

    I always tell people: "We've spent a great deal of time developing our pricing model. We offer exceptional service at a very reasonable rate, and I know that you will certainly profit from using our services at the quoted price. In this economy I completely understand your desire to want to get more for your money, but I'm confident that our solutions will deliver... so when you're ready to get started, we'll be ready to provide you our full suite of services. I'm just a phone call or an e-mail away, so please contact me again in the future."

    Don't undersell yourself. Don't jump on any offer that comes along. Respect yourself and your product and your potential customers, and you will receive respect in return.
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  • Profile picture of the author Your Brand Ebooks
    Originally Posted by davidjames42973 View Post

    I actually gave him a cheaper price when I met him awhile ago because I was a little hungrier then.
    LOL last year I too canned by a guy like you : - ) who originally took on a project because like yourself he was hungrier back then.

    It was a $300 project to develop a very simple iPhone app, which simply displays caffeine charts of soft drinks, energy drinks, and gourmet coffees and such. (to an html designer, my simple project would be the equivalent to a one-page website) He took on my project, then after 3 weeks he told me he had larger clients and could no longer do my project.

    (btw the caffeine chart app was a test app, that I could submit to Apple for approval, in order to learn how the approval and going-live process worked, before releasing my "real" app)
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    • Profile picture of the author Luke Bishop
      That's the one thing that holds me back doing seo, clients want to see results yesterday.

      I can't be arsed with the bs to be frank.
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      • Profile picture of the author edakehurst
        I always give a written proposal, and I always state in that proposal how long it will take (usually 6 - 8 months). I also state in there that they get a report every two weeks, and when the report comes in, they get a 15 minute consultation to discuss it.

        Unless I have a question that I need from them to assist them in moving forward, I bill them a dollar a minute for any consultation beyond their 15 minutes every 2 weeks. The easy ones to work with, I never charge extra, but the possibility's always there. The ones that are a pain in the butt pay for my time.

        I am a big fan of written notification. Then they can't come back and say you never told them.

        Well done in firing them. Your time is one of your most valuable assets.
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        • Profile picture of the author chika138
          Originally Posted by edakehurst View Post

          I always give a written proposal, and I always state in that proposal how long it will take (usually 6 - 8 months). I also state in there that they get a report every two weeks, and when the report comes in, they get a 15 minute consultation to discuss it.

          Unless I have a question that I need from them to assist them in moving forward, I bill them a dollar a minute for any consultation beyond their 15 minutes every 2 weeks. The easy ones to work with, I never charge extra, but the possibility's always there. The ones that are a pain in the butt pay for my time.

          I am a big fan of written notification. Then they can't come back and say you never told them.

          Well done in firing them. Your time is one of your most valuable assets.
          Hi could I get some samples of those written proposals you send to your customers?

          Or any other sources I can get them from?

          They will be useful.

          Thank you.
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  • Profile picture of the author k60mall
    You know the old saying "You can't please ever body all of the time" Fire their ass if they start getting too much work for their money.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I just sh!t canned a client that I took on 3 weeks ago for peanuts. I actually gave him a cheaper price when I met him awhile ago because I was a little hungrier then.

      I received emails and phone calls once a week saying that he's upset that he's not seeing results. I told him you won't see immediate results and these things take months.
      Emails once a week - so 3 emails? I don't think that is out of line. If you gave him a cheaper price - that shouldn't make him less important than any other client as YOU set the price.

      Two things I've found necessary when outsourcing:

      1. give the client a realistic time frame at the beginning - put it in an email and get a confirmation from the client that he accepts the timeline.
      Gives you a chance to answer questions before you start on the project. It helps you recognize the clients that might be 'difficult', too.

      2. send a weekly update (same day every week) - If a client does not hear from you, he gets nervous. If you resent a client emailing you weekly, cut him off at the pass by sending an update so he knows he's not forgotten

      You may do those two things - but you didn't mention it.

      kay
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      • Profile picture of the author davidjames42973
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Emails once a week - so 3 emails? I don't think that is out of line. If you gave him a cheaper price - that shouldn't make him less important than any other client as YOU set the price.

        Two things I've found necessary when outsourcing:

        1. give the client a realistic time frame at the beginning - put it in an email and get a confirmation from the client that he accepts the timeline.
        Gives you a chance to answer questions before you start on the project. It helps you recognize the clients that might be 'difficult', too.

        2. send a weekly update (same day every week) - If a client does not hear from you, he gets nervous. If you resent a client emailing you weekly, cut him off at the pass by sending an update so he knows he's not forgotten

        You may do those two things - but you didn't mention it.

        kay
        There's nothing wrong with emails once a week from the client. The problem with the emails though were that he talked about how disappointed he was that he's not seeing results. I explained to him several times that SEO takes months before seeing results. I told him in person and by phone several times, but I could tell he's not the type to listen to people. He told me that I told him that he would see immediate results. I've never told anybody that before.

        I usually give clients a report every 2 weeks depending on the client. I have one client where we use a Smartsheet so he can stay updated daily.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
    This is going to happen once in awhile, no matter how expertly you handle it.

    Some clients have a habit of being demanding with service providers. They feel if they aren't riding them, they won't get their money's worth.

    After having something similar happen, I inserted a clause in my agreement, that I have them initial. It re-states the long term nature of SEO service results, and moderates expectations.
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  • Profile picture of the author HypnoHugh
    Thanks for sharing - there is a good lesson there in managing expectations.

    I will sure to be clearer with clients and having things written will help.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Chambless
    This kind of nonsense from customers is exactly why I started recording every signing with my handi-dandi little digital recorder.

    Really sharpens my clients memory!

    David
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    • Profile picture of the author chika138
      Originally Posted by dmcloser1 View Post

      This kind of nonsense from customers is exactly why I started recording every signing with my handi-dandi little digital recorder.

      Really sharpens my clients memory!

      David
      Do you need to inform the clients before recording?
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      • Profile picture of the author edakehurst
        Originally Posted by chika138 View Post

        Hi could I get some samples of those written proposals you send to your customers?

        Or any other sources I can get them from?

        They will be useful.

        Thank you.
        PM me with your email address. I don't want to hijack this thread. I won't send one of mine, but I'll send an outline of what I include.
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        • Profile picture of the author davidjames42973
          Originally Posted by edakehurst View Post

          PM me with your email address. I don't want to hijack this thread. I won't send one of mine, but I'll send an outline of what I include.
          Feel free to add the outline in this thread. It will definitely help everyone out...
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      • Profile picture of the author edakehurst
        Originally Posted by chika138 View Post

        Do you need to inform the clients before recording?
        I would highly recommend it!
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