Whenever you begin a business, it is the clients who keep the business afloat.
This pertains to home based businesses as well.
Some of those clients may be difficult to handle at times.
Clients are the backbone of any successful business.
We use strategies to attract a proper clientele for our business.
The more clients we have, the more profit the business stands to make.
Part of the job of a business is handling customer service.
With all of the other tasks that are involved with running a business, it is not unusual for customer service to suffer.
We hope that all of our work will please our clients and that they will have no reason to complain or be angry with us.
In a perfect world, this might be the case, but in the real world, if you haven't dealt with difficult clients yet, it is only a matter of time.
Before you have the pleasure of encountering any customer service nightmares, formulate a plan for handling clients with issues.
Here are some tips that can help: 1.
Keep a cool head.
Many clients may be acting out of frustration due to approaching deadlines and they can be impulsive.
It is easier to deal with even a difficult client when we are calm.
Remember that this is not a personal attack but a business matter.
2.
Hear them out.
For online businesses, we usually don't see our clients face to face.
Instead, we receive scathing emails.
Read the email, telephone message, or listen to the in person complaint in its entirety.
Consult the completed work that you did for the client to see what the issues are before proceeding.
3.
Consult your contract.
When working with clients, it is a help if you have them review and sign a contract that states what work will be done for them.
The problem could be something that the client forgot to ask of you.
It could also be that the client needs additional work that is not a part of your services.
4.
Respond promptly.
If you can't come up with a solution immediately, at least send an email telling them that you have received their message and are working on the issue.
Some form of communication needs to be initiated within 24 hours of the client's initial contact.
5.
Include a FAQ section.
Knowing your business like you do will yield some helpful information for them here.
Most of the client issues can be taken care of and only the more complex ones will need your personal attention.
Our first instinct is to respond in kind to a difficult client.
Our first response determines the future course of our business.
One bad customer service incident can waylay an online business.
Word of mouth advertising works both ways.
A bad report can sink any business.
It is easier to handle a difficult client when a plan is already in place.