8 signs it's time to fire a bad client. How do you do it then?

by WarriorForum.com Administrator
6 replies
A new article on Search Engine Journal lists eight red flags to watch out for in clients and some strategies to fix, improve, or amend a client-SEO relationship.



An essential part of the business is your ability to read clients, their motivations, and how they treat people respectfully. Below are several situations you should reevaluate your relationship with the client and initiate a change.

1. The client requires more time than they are worth

You are an expert in your industry, so you understand how much your time is worth. If the time spent with the client is wasted and unproductive, it might be time to move on. There is also an opportunity cost involved in working with a bad client. Investing extra time into a client that drains your energy will degrade your quality in other parts of the business.

Each client is critical and should be valued. However, you have a solid idea of how much each client is worth. Here are some examples of how a lousy client might waste your time:
  • Showing up unprepared for meetings.
  • Unwillingness to commit to a plan, delaying the workflow process.
  • Shooting down all your ideas.
  • Taking a long time to reply to emails, questions, or deliverables.

2. The client continuously shoots down your recommendations

The client hired you for a reason: to guide them to success. Although the client knows their business, they signed a contract with you to provide actionable insights for their organization. You invest your time to help the client reach goals. However, the client could delay the process by continuously rejecting your ideas, recommendations, and deliverables.

Yes, disagreement is common between a client and a company. However, there should be a mutual agreement that both parties will work it out and align on the overarching goal. Sometimes the client may not see this and let other factors get in the way.

3. There is little respect between you and the client

Respect is the foundation of any business relationship. When there is trust between the client and the company, you can create innovative ideas and achieve great things. However, the relationship can sour when respect breaks with one of the parties. No respect means no trust, and no trust means it will be challenging to attain your goals.

If the client does not respect you, they will not trust your work. Therefore, it could be the right time to move on. Always show respect, but you should reevaluate the relationship if the client does not return the favor.

4. There is minimal communication between you and the client

When you and the client begin your relationship, you should agree on a primary communication channel. Will you communicate with the client best via phone, text, email, or online messaging? You should also set parameters on an acceptable timeframe to respond to a message. Emergencies might arise, but both parties should agree on a good time window.

If either party cannot follow through with their commitment to communication, there should be a check-in discussion. If things still do not improve, it is time for both parties to go their separate ways.

5. The relationship is not progressing

A solid business relationship will continue to strengthen as both parties learn more about each other. If there is a culture or value fit, the relationship should blossom. Trust should build between the parties, and better ideas should flow. If you engage with the client for several months and do not see an improvement in communication, it might be time to move in a different direction.

As the relationship endures, try to identify the best communication channels for you and the client. Determine how and when they communicate the best and tailor your messages toward that channel. If you still do not see better workflows, you should speak with the client.

6. The client has a pessimistic attitude

You become what you think about. If the client constantly projects a negative vibe toward your working relationship, it will be challenging to achieve your goals. Your client relationships reflect your brand. Yes, it is standard to become stressed, but these pressures should never impact your relationships negatively.

You can do your part to spread positivity. However, if the client shoots down your words of encouragement, it can demoralize your work. You may not feel motivated to produce your best quality work for the client.

7. You are losing money on the client

Although you run a "relationship business," it comes to dollars and cents. If the time spent with the client does not produce profitable results, it might be time to go your separate ways. Whether it is wasted time or minimal profit results, evaluate why you are losing money. Approach the client about ways to improve the relationship and achieve these goals. If you continue to see no results, it is time to terminate the relationship.

8. The client is verbally abusive or makes demands you can't meet

If a client is verbally abusive, calls you names, or degrades you in any way, it's time to let them go. It would be best if you did this sooner rather than later to avoid setting a precedent. There is no reason for you to tolerate abuse in any form.

Similarly, if a client makes unreasonable demands that you cannot meet or gaslights you for being unable to accommodate them, it's time to move on. There are some people you will never be able to make happy, and the sooner you end that relationship, the better off everyone will be.

Relationships and deteriorate

If any of this rings true, the article goes on to list several ways you can deal with different problems. Issues like this affect many of us, and I thought this might turn out to be useful for some.

Also, let me know your own tips for dealing with difficult clients, or even just tell us your horror stories!
#bad #client #signs #time
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Much of this sounds like a corporate client....and most here are trying to GET and KEEP online customers/clients.


    A list of the subtitles would have been sufficient - since SEJ wanted an 'article' they added all the text ....along with about a dozen uses of 'should', quite a few 'howevers' and some 'buts'....it sounds a bit whining to me. Most of the problems listed could be avoided by a clear agreement at the beginning.



    For the majority of the 'list' - the client is likely to dump YOU.
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    • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      A list of the subtitles would have been sufficient -
      Or even just the first one: "the client requires more time than they are worth". Nuff said, IMO.

      Amusing that SEJ considers being verbally abusive to be merely a "sign".
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      • Profile picture of the author DABK
        Amusing? Sad, most likely: they're probably basing their advice on their own practices, no?


        Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

        Or even just the first one: "the client requires more time than they are worth". Nuff said, IMO.

        Amusing that SEJ considers being verbally abusive to be merely a "sign".
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  • Profile picture of the author Jamell
    I like to weed people out first .You have people pretending to be interested in your services just to try and sell you on something .

    I agree whole heartedly that some people aren't a good fit .

    Communication, do they pay on time, are they implementing what's being taught are all factors that need to be re evaluated and considered periodically .
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  • Profile picture of the author Rebecca Boyle
    If you have a good onboarding strategy then you should be able to filter out bad clients. With experience, you start to see the red flags a mile away. If for whatever reason you do have a client that you aren't enjoying working with anymore, simply let them know you won't be able to work with them anymore and offer to refer them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Depends on what your terms are. I like to offer 1-2 hour sessions that tell clients what to do, instead of me doing it for them. List agreements out in the contract and let them know that they're accountable for implementing what you've advised them to do. This is something similar to a conditional money back guarantee.
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