Have you ever treated your CLIENT as a FRIEND?

Strongly benefits = you have a customer for life

Hi Neshaword, i can strongly relate to this. There are number of times i have been exploited to do unnecessary hardwork just in a fury to create an ever lasting relationship. I remember one of my client wasting my hours and hours sitting on skype and doing revisions - exploiting my "relationship building" argument in a gruesome way. What we need to understand is a fact that our time is precious and we need to charge money for each minute we are putting in. Business is business and thus we should avoid establishing one-sided relations with our clients. My opinion on this is UNLESS IT'S A MUTUAL GIVE AND TAKE WHERE BOTH ARE BENEFITTING EQUALLY, THERE IS NO WRONG IN CALLING YOUR CLIENTS "FRIENDS." Otherwise, it's a big No!
Thanks for raising such a nice question. New freelancers especially need to know'this before they fall into this "relationship-building" rhetoric. Cheers!

Junaid.

Hi,

Money is just an energy. We give money energy its value. I treat all clients like friends yet I detach from them too. So it's like, I don't think much about the money yet in the same regard I keep kinda detached from any one client because my source isn't the client, but something bigger

Money is funny. We have so many weird beliefs about it when in the end it's a means of exchange and nothing else. Few see money like this so all the warped beliefs about this energy which is just a means of exchange and nothing more, those ideas manifest as distrust, or fear, or resentment, or all types of negative stuff which tends to lead to struggle and other issues with money and businesses.

I figure, act as detached as possible yet be warm and loving and helpful with all clients. I count all clients I vibe with as friends and the rest I released. When someone feels like a friend to me the money issue is not an issue, because friendship reigns. And of course, we trust one another so the payment comes through and we've a mutual understanding of what's expected in the partnership.

Neat post

Signing off from sunny Cyprus.

Ryan Biddulph
Blogging From Paradise

I think it really depends on how you define a friend. I mean you can have a friend with whom you share everything and feel comfortable talking about anything, including things like the baby being colicky or your significant other forgetting your birthday, and then there are people whom you have a friendly relationship with. You know, the kinds of relationships where you discuss innocuous things like the latest movie you saw but it never goes beyond that.

It's hard for a client to become a true friend simply because they usually have an agenda, which doesn't necessarily include gaining a new friend. So, while you can certainly build friendly relationships, I think it's rare to build a true friendship.

That being said, I have had one case where I've become good friends with a client and money has never been an issue.

And you can be exploited without trying to be a client's friend. I've had multiple situations where I've spent hours explaining to a client what they should be doing without receiving compensation for it. Yes, it's my fault. I should just do the job and move on, but there's this part of me that just won't let me move on without saying something like: if you do it this way, you're just wasting your time and money.

I might be naïve, but at least I can look at myself in the mirror and not feel like a total heel. In the end, what you put into life, you get out of it. However, if a client does start getting too time-intensive and greedy, then I move on because that's the point where I start getting irritated, which only leads to ulcers.

Then again, this approach has helped me generate new business simply because clients get the idea that I really do have their best interests at heart.

So, am I wasting my time or am I doing the right thing? I don't know but I doubt I'll change simply because it's the way I've always been. I'll always go out of my way to help someone and if that means I'm a gullible fool, so be it.

Interesting post neshaword.

I actually do consider all my customers friends because they gave me a little more trust than average in my opinion.

But I think it is human nature even if we have a set of rules to keep things professional as possible some people just break the mold and unique connections are made.

When we see a particular warrior give and give and give here at the warrior forum for years with quality contributions then find out they are in dire situation and in need I have seen people step up unlike any other forums

There are some actual warriors I have gotten more close to than some of my own blood relatives and I have never even physically met them and been close friends for past 7 years.

Some customers, warriors, clients have actually saved my hide before and I think I can honestly say I have saved a few of theirs as well.

So like one of my old University Professors used to say I give people an A grade at the start but what they end up with will be up to them.

Art

for me we must treat client like king

Nesha, there are "business" friends, and there are "friend" friends. Be careful not to mix the two.

Back when I was working with clients, two words helped keep my "business" friends business friends.

Fee Waived.

In a situation like you described, I would add the extra item to the invoice along with the standard rate. But when I computed the total, I would mark the line item "Fee Waived" with an asterisk. At the asterisk, I would note that doing the added bit of work was easier and faster for me during the original project than doing so later. Because of this, I waived the charge.

The phrasing is key.

That's a great question. I do treat some of my customers like a friend, however it depends on the personality I am dealing with. If the person it is results driven and numbers driven, then I don't necessarily do with a friendly approach. Instead I match his or her personality. The people I do treat like a friend are people who like to be recognized for their accomplishments, and like to be praised, by seeking positive comments from their friends. These people, when behaved towards as a friend, will be more likely to buy because they can relate to you more.

I help them solve their problems at a very fair price...that's pretty friendly.

I am not sure how you can tell if your client is treating you as a friend. Most of my clients treat me really well, but I make sure that we both are treating each other professionally. I can say that I have good relationship with my clients as long as we don't cross the line.

One time, I had one client who I feel is being to attached. He even left a long review on my public profile (Fiverr) to let others know how good I am. He wouldn't stop messaging me on Skype and LinkedIn asking me to do something for a cheap price. I just told him that I can't do business with him anymore.

Yes, if you can treat your client as like as friend, You can convert your buyer to a regular customer as well, This would be beneficial. I always try keeping good communications with my clients and clients satisfaction is my motivation.

I love the generous approach to work. I'd suggest you keep it up. Eventually you will reap the benefits.

Business is business. You want a friend? Get a dog.

Cheers. - Frank

Well, a bargain is bargain. I'm not saying that you have to treat your client as an enemy or just a customers without feeling or don't showing respect to him.
To keep touch with your clients as friend, you sometimes have to offer them promotional offers,
To be successful you have to be good communicator
Thank you for this great Thread.

If you are in sales on any level, I am sure the line becomes blurry between client and friend all the time.

When I am shopping at a fancy clothing store I want the salesmen to be friendly, complimenting, helpful, etc. Basically the same characteristics as what a friend will have.

Well the thing with being friends with your clients is that it is very complicated. Most of the times I have observed in my life through personal as well as distant experiences that money exploits your relations. If you make a friend a client then you are likely to lose friendship and if you make friend out of a client then be ready to lose money by always having to go an extra mile and always having to do extra favors. Some times you will want to do these things and at times you will just have to do them for the sake of friendship.

My friend can be my client, but my client shall not be my friend unless we both hang out in the same place do same fun - not business.