Dear Client - You Are Fired

We all know that if you are in the business of providing a service and you do not meet the customers expectations or standards you probably will find yourself fired. In fact, I'm sure we've all been in situations where we are the clients and have decided to terminate a business relationship that no longer suits us for a myriad of reasons. However, what if it is a client of yours that is making you disheartened? If you feel that the issue is not something that can be resolved, it can be perfectly acceptable to fire them. A client who is making your life miserable can suck the life right out of you and sometimes it is best to just let them go.

It is always good sense to have a contract with each and every client stating what will be done, when and for how much. This can help you out a great deal when dealing with difficult clients. However, be aware that this same contract means you also can be liable for what you have agreed to do. Think carefully before pulling the plug in the middle of a project. You may be required to refund all monies if you break a contract and risk litigation if you are not careful to act in a professional way.

Tips

~ Keep careful track of all missed deadlines, not just missed checks. You can justifiably push back your deadlines if you do not have the information needed to complete a job and if it goes on long enough then you can let your client know that this job is not going to be completed due to this lack of diligence on their part and your other obligations.

~ If you have already completed a job and the client contacts you for another, you can simply state that you have too much on your plate right now and refer them to another company.

~ Try to collect all monies owed before you fire a client. It is just easier and prevent the client from seeing little reason to bother paying if you have already fired them.

~ The best way to terminate a client is in writing. Email is not the best way as it can turn into a heated exchange fairly quickly. Face to face and by phone has two very big drawback. First, we sometimes do not chose our words as carefully as we should and second there is no record of what took place. With a letter you have a hard copy to back you up. When writing this letter ensure that you do not use accusatory language, be apologetic but do explain why you cannot work with them anymore. Of course there is no need to list every problem, pick the worst 2-3 and stick with that. A good example is for the annoying, needy client who calls every 10mins you can state something like "It is important to us here at XYZ that you receive all the attention you deserve, unfortunately due to our busy schedule, we are not able to devote enough time to your needs."

~ If the client was the one to breach the contract be sure to include that in your letter. Again, list the issue in a non-argumentative, point of fact way.

~ Do not speak badly of the client to others as this is unprofessional and you will just damage your own reputation.

~ Be honest and do not lie about being ill, moving or closing your business. Chances are somewhere, sometime down the road you may come across this client or someone who knows them and that kind of embarrassment is not a welcome addition to anyone's day or professional reputation.

~ A common practice by many is to raise your rates to make working with you unappealing thus allowing the client to fire you instead. In addition to raising rates many start to bill clients often and for everything. For example you might tell a client who wants just that little thing changed (for the fifth time and it is not included in your initial contract) that this will be billed at $XX. Even if you client doesn't fire you, they may clue in, reduce the number of additional requests and become less of a problem or at least you will be well compensated until the project is completed.

Regardless of the reason, telling someone who has been paying you for your services that you no longer wish to work with them can be difficult. Hold your ground, be professional and don't reconsider if contacted by a client. Remember, you and your business can often benefit from letting go of the clients who are a problem. It opens up your energy and time for clients who energize you rather then drag you down.

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