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I recently had to do something I really hate doing. I had to fire a client.
If you’re a service provider, this comes with the territory. But it doesn’t make it any easier. I thoroughly enjoy each client I work with, but I can recognize when a situation is holding me back or is no longer in my best business interest.
Don’t worry though. There are things you can do to ensure that this conversation goes as smoothly as possible.
Tell them it’s not them (even if it is), it’s you.
It sounds like a typical break-up line (”It’s not you, It’s me.”), but it’s appropriate to use in this situation. Technically, it is you who has the issue and who is initiating the break-up, so it’s not fibbing in the least. Own the break-up and leave your client with the impression that they’re not a “bad client”, but that you just have things to move on to.
Do your research and recommend someone else to fill your shoes.
Let me tell you: the fact that you do this for them and don’t leave them hanging, will mean a lot to them. Set up affiliate programs with other service providers, so that if your client decides to go with someone you recommend, you get a small piece of that pie.
This is just another way to leave your client feeling like you do care about them, even at the break-up moment.
If your client asks for feedback on what spurred this decision, or what they did wrong, be honest, but be vague.
Some clients sincerely want to know what they can do better in their next contracting relationship. There’s no harm in that. However, it’s not really your job to diagnose the problems of someone else. Be honest about your reasoning, but be extremely vague. They don’t need to know everything going on in your business and your head. Bring this back to the idea of “It’s not you. It’s me.”.
Finish what you start.
Don’t leave any loose ends. If you’re in the middle of a big project, at least finish up the current objective. If you’re working on a retainer, fulfill those obligations.
If you really want to go the extra mile for your client, offer to transition the new contractor into your responsibilities (not for free, of course).
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Comments
12.16.09
So what happens when you fire a client, and they put up a site, like lisamoroskysucks.com, where they explain why they feel you suck and they get something like 25,000,000 hits in a week? What recourse do you have to deal with such a negative tsunami?
12.16.09
I really like the break-up analogy and find it one I end up using quite often in discussing relationships with clients with my friends and colleagues. Really good points overall as well, that I also recently had to put in to use in firing a client of my own.
JRandom42, I think Lisa's advice may help to avoid a situation with a client that would lead to them publishing something like that about you online. However, if they are still so infantile as to go ahead with such action anyway, I'm not a lawyer but would think that may be grounds to file for defamation of character? If there were really so many hits as to do significant damage to your reputation.
12.16.09
@JRandom42 - Well, no ones saying to make a regular habit of firing clients. The point is to make a habit of choosing client relationships that are mutually beneficial and successful - and then recognizing when one thing in your business needs to end in order for something else to begin.
And I've only had to formally do it once, actually (but I'm consistently choosing clients wisely). And it went so well that his parting words to me were essentially - "I appreciate all you've done. I've been thrilled with your service. I hope that you'll be able to see that my future successes partially had to do with you."
I feel like the key is, if you're ever in this situation, to make sure the client feels good about it and not let them down (because the customer service experience is ongoing, and it's in everyone's best interest to end things well - they don't want to be left out to dry, and you don't want anyone to feel bad about your business and the services you provide).
But to answer your precise question - if someone were to create lisamoroskysucks.com (I'd first wonder what kind of time they have on their hands) and get a massive amount of traffic to it and ignite an extreme Internet wave of hatred for me that eventually defamed my character - sure, I'd eventually pursue legal action if applicable and necessary. That's just a good business idea, to protect your brand.
Otherwise, it's someone's prerogative to express their distaste with my service. And controversy sells. So it'd probably help fuel my fire a little bit in the end by driving traffic to me, where I can then prove myself to new visitors. I once heard Timothy Sykes say that his biggest referrer was a hate site all about him. Let's be real here - I'm sure some of those people turned into customers.
@Stefanie - Yeah. It's not a warm fuzzy feeling, but with everything in life there is a season. And business is business and moving on is part of business.
And I like to think that the advice I provided would keep from a negative firestorm being thrown your way. When you treat other people with care, they will generally treat you with care back.
12.17.09
I appreciate your taking the time to write this. I've had to turn down freelancing jobs when I've worked as a translator, and as what I thought courtesy demanded, I pointed the company in question to good sources. I think that, and being polite, goes a long way.
12.20.09
Whatever legal recourse you might have, it's limited by this former custommer expressing their opinion, under the First Amendment. Walmart went through a whole round of legal issues with walmartsucks.org, and pretty much lost that fight. Walmartsucks.org is still up and going strong.
01.12.10
I am agree with your point-of -view. Firing clients is not good. But some time we had to do this.for improvement of organization this must be done.
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