Does Everyone Hate Their Customers? Not I!

by Michael D Forbes

Posted: 12 years ago 16 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Just read another "Clients from the Fiery Inferno" thread, and it made me wonder, does anyone have GOOD clients anymore? Serial Refunders, Scammers, Grinders... "terrible, awful, no-good, BAD" customers are all the rage it seems!

I just figured it was time to balance the game and brag on some of my GREAT customers...

How about the one that wanted to pay me $x for limited exclusive resale rights for a product of mine. I countered at $x+500 - and it was in my PayPal account an hour later. We both felt we got a great deal.

How about the offline client that paid my rate without batting an eye, and when the conversation turned to a monthly management fee, said "Just bill me what you think is fair for what I need you to do, I trust you".

How about the WSO customer that contacted me to say, "Thanks Michael, great product... I just bought it again because I thought you deserved more for your hard work."

How about when I had an emergency situation that caused me to really mess up a mailing to my customers...bad... after I discovered my error, I sent an apology and had an inbox with a bunch of messages like, "No problem Michael, I'm just glad you're OK... Praying/hoping/wishing well for you and your situation."

It's stuff like this that keeps me going when it gets rough. Never forget that your customers are people with hopes, dreams, and weaknesses just like you.

Treat them with dignity and respect and I guarantee it will come back to you.

Even the folks that I kind of feel like poking with a sharp stick might just need some good old fashioned kindness... so I do my best to give it to them. It's amazing how few problem customers I have.

I know many of you here on the forum are some of my great customers... Thank You!

#clients #complain #customers #hate

TheArticlePros 12 years ago

I'd give you a "thanks" but I seem to have run out again today. I love threads like this.

My article business's clients are awesome. Over half of them send me an email back after a week or two and tell me they love the articles that I've written for them, and most of the ones who don't write back show me their "love" by ordering again and again.

I can't brag on any WSOs yet...ask me again next month about that.

It's always the little "thank you's" that you get from customers/clients that make your day. I can ignore most of the bad things (unless I can get a funny story out of it)...but one happy or grateful customer and I'm on Cloud 9 all day.

-- j
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moonzombie 12 years ago

I have a handful of clients that I write for on a regular basis. Some of them will send me quick updates letting me know how much money they've made off of my articles, it's fun to know I can get paid a fair amount and someone else can turn that into 10x - 20x what they paid me in just a couple of days.
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funkynassau 12 years ago

We have good customers! Only one guy ever thought he needed free paint 13 months after he bought a kit and never used it. It says in black and white that we dont replace paint after 60 days. I guess he thought he needed to try, see how far he'd get.

Everyone else has been very nice, most we dont have much interaction with but those we do - well they tell us how well our product worked for them and that they'd tell their friends. Gotta like that!
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timpears 12 years ago

This is awesome to read. Great to know that there are good people out there. Sometimes we hear so much about the bad people, the ones that cause trouble. Dog bites man isn't news, but man bites dog is. Thanks for sharing this with us.
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- Michael D Forbes 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by timpears
  
  Thanks for sharing this with us.
  
  You're most welcome! I think I forgot to ask, but I was really hoping others would share their happy stories too...
  
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Kal Sallam 12 years ago

See these kind of customers you mentioned are very common in the IM niche.
One of my niches is Anxiety Attacks and let me tell you the info/products I provide
Are driving people crazy! Very thankful and happy customers and Offcourse I love them back.
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luane 12 years ago

I have one sweet offline Client that appreciates what I do for her and I love her dearly. When I made her a free video to put on her new website, you would have thought I had given her gold! To her? It was. And she brought me a dozen yellow roses. I shall never forget her getting out of the car beaming with those roses. It made me feel like a Queen of marketing. It was very rewarding to make her so happy!

Kristie from Georgia
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JeanneLynn 12 years ago

For me, the good customers always outweighed the bad. I did get a few impossible ones, but most were good.
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moonzombie 12 years ago

When you see people going on and on with nothing but complains about their customers, you almost have to start wondering how much of that is the customer and how much is...
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DireStraits 12 years ago

The "laws" of attraction and reciprocity see to it - with occasional exceptions, clearly - that prospects/customers are generally befitting of a marketer's own attitude and behaviour. In other words, one reaps what one sows. It is sad that so many fail to grasp, or at least take to heart, this simple yet utterly vital concept.
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- cashp0wer 12 years ago
  
  I have come across some really great customers over the years, as well as some super bad ones, and some that just fall in between. I am sure it will always be like this as I go through my business.
  
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  JazzOscar 12 years ago
  
  You more or less get the customers you create.
  
  I'm mostly in the offline IT support, sales and programming market. I don't try to sell my customers new and shiny objects (computers) just because 2-3 years have passed, if they don't need it.
  
  When the time comes when they need something I have their trust. I can tell them now is the time to invest $10,000-15,000, and get a confirmative answer to my offer in a few minutes.
  
  I keep their business, they're happy with me and talk nice about me
  
  I think they're great customers
  
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  Michael D Forbes 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by JazzOscar
  
  You more or less get the customers you create.
  
  That is so true!
  
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MyNewMama 12 years ago

Regardless of how a client treats you or your business, the client is what puts food on your table...and keeps you in business. Always try to go above and beyond what you should do to please a client. In the end, the client knows in their heart if they were right or wrong.

Yes, there will be clients and customers who are a pain to deal with. However, there's an old saying that you can't control what people do or say to you, but you are responsible for how you react.

React in the right way and you'll be in business for a long time.
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datingworld 12 years ago

I put Customers [in my case members on site] before anything. I love them. Most of them are extremely nice. Never had any major problem with them. I would say 99% of them are genuine and happy to use our dating sites. There are only 1% who would ask for refund or moan on recurring payments but we have a policy if Customer is not happy, we happily refund as we don't want money if he / she is not happy with the service.

I believe that business owners shouldn't hold Customers money if he / she is not happy with whatever they have paid for. As a business owner I feel more happy, fulfilled and satisfied when I see that my customers are happy with me,,,, once I have that feeling,, I love to enjoy their money.
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andreasup 12 years ago

Great thread Michael. It's nice to think about positive things. It sets a nice tone for the rest of the day. Lots of enlightening tips and stories.

In my experience the sword cuts both ways. If I go out of my way to do the very best job I can for my customers, thank them for their work and meet or beat their expectations, they reward me by paying on time or even referring business to me.

When customers are upset about anything - and stuff can happen sometimes beyond your control - I always apologize and fix it. Even it is not directly related to my service.

DireStraits makes a good point about reaping what you sow. It really is true. I tend to call it my karma, but same point.

And yes, sometimes there are challenging customers but I try to always look at them as a way to learn and do better. It's not always easy but I do try and it seems to work out well.
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