How To Deal With Clients From Hell?

Most web design and development services vendors earnestly state that a customer is right at all times. But is that really so? And can you always handle the situations with the clients who are being extremely difficult?So, how to deal with clients from hell? Below are some cracking tips!

Here are most common cases and recommendations that are worth following to ease your struggle with the tough nuts:

• Your customer is upset for whatever reason. That means they generally want two things: they want someone to know about it and they want their problem solved, usually immediately. The golden rule here is to listen without trying to argue or talking them over. Let the customer fully express themselves, and as you listen, show them complete and utter understanding. How can this be done? Imagine you are in their shoes. Agree to their complaints from time to time, use such phrases as ‘I see why you feel this way’ and ‘I’m sorry to hear this has happened’, and by no means should you interrupt the speaker.
• Even if the customer’s claims may seem to be directed at you, remember not to take them personally and keep in mind that you are representing a company at the time and act accordingly. When the customer is finished with their sad story you find the right moment to take over. It is important not to forget opening with a sincere expression of empathy once again – you won’t believe how well it works for most people seeking to complain!
• Once the rapport is built, carry on withsolving the actual problem. It should be done by asking a lot of questions which will clarify the cause of the issue that is being discussed. Answers are very important, so make sure you listen and write them down carefully without jumping to conclusions.
• However, there are certain obstacles to getting all the necessary information. What could be the problems? Clients tend to leave out crucial information because they either think it isn’t that critical or they simply forget to let you know about it. To make sure you get full-scale info, utilize a so called bridging technique. This technique is all about building a certain bridge between what a customer is talking about and where you would like this conversation to follow. When you notice the client going off the track, wait for them to make that little pause when they take a breath. This is your chance to jump in with an ‘understanding’ phrase followed by a question which will direct the conversation back on track. Like that you eventually receive all the information you need.
• Angry clients do not tend to give all the facts of their side of the story in a brief orderly manner. Therefore there is another approach called mirroring technique which is basically about summarizing your understanding of what the client says and then reflecting it back to them. In this way the client has a chance to either approve or correct your vision of their issue.
• Once all the questions are asked and the information is carefully collected, you have to work together with your client on a mutually acceptable solution. If that doesn’t happen right there and then, do not hesitate to take a time-out and do the rest of the work ‘offline’. However, make sure that the customer knows why you are taking some time off and how long it is going to take you until their issue is solved.
• Remember not to promise anything you are not able to deliver when talking about web design and development services  or any certain things which you are not sure that is going to get fixed after your instruction. Be honest in your intentions. If you promise an update or a callback – do not forget to do so.
• At the end of your phone call let your client know the results of your conversation – from beginning to end. It would be a good idea to document the call as well, to be better prepared for the next talk with this customer or a client in a similar situation.
• Following up may seem like a small thing, yet it’s a big part of a successful client management. Use e-mail or phone – anything that works best for you. The main point is to get in touch to find out if they are happy with the solution or are still in search for something better. Remember that effective follow-ups help fixing not only the issues but the procedures causing them, and through solving such problems they can be prevented in the future.

Elena Bizina

Elena Bizina has come through an exciting path from teaching English to all age groups, toward IT Sales and Marketing. Now she is enjoying a part time writer’s job and a full time motherhood. Elena particularly loves foreign languages and traveling and plans to carry on with these hobbies in the nearest future. She holds a position of a Copywriter atZfort Group, an IT Outsourcing service provider.