Dealing with Challenging Clients

You come across all types of people, in every organization. And if you are in the field of IT support or consulting, a huge part of your job is to handle client’s behavior. Though you may feel the urge to disregard such clients completely, this is not how it would work in a realistic business scenario.  Especially if you are a growing business, clients are hard to come by and losing one just isn't the option. Also, such a scenario would create bad relations and as you all know, a bad word spreads in a blink of an eye in our small corporate world.

A challenging client is basically the type of client who would challenge your work, question your ability and knowledge of the field, disagree to your opinions, and blame you for his / her ignorance about the project in hand. Sounds like a nightmare, right? And if experiences of people are to be believed, it really is a nightmare. But experiences also present many learning curves, which should be utilized in a positive manner.

Below are some of the key points to be remembered when dealing with challenging customers (some points are useful to avoid difficult situations with clients) :

1. Focus on the client –

Concentrate on how the clients feel and make them your first priority. If they request something to be done urgently, do not tell them that you have a lot of work and that it is impossible. Instead, acknowledge their request and try to understand why the request is urgent.

2. Let clients know that they are not alone –

In case your clients face some difficulties or problems related to work and which you are aware are faced by other clients too, make your clients aware about this. This will make them realize that they are not alone. Also, share your past experiences with them which might be helpful.

3. Acknowledge the client’s feelings –

At times, clients who are displeased might demand something which you might not agree to. In such situations, completely agreeing or disagreeing with them might only make situations worse. Instead, try to acknowledge their thoughts and shift the conversation towards a feasible solution.

4. Communicate effectively –

Communication is the most important factor when handling difficult situations and even otherwise. Make sure you chose your words carefully. Even though you are really angry at something the client said or did, don’t demonstrate that to the client. Be soft-spoken and try to make him/her understand the problems you are facing. Hence the chances of the situation getting worse because of you are significantly reduced.

5. Document everything –

It is very important to document all the meetings and discussions you have had with the client. When the progress of the project takes an ugly turn, most of the clients turn to the consultants and start blaming them. If you have everything documented, you can always point to the notes and inform the client of what was initially decided.

6. Be honest –

Honesty is very important to maintain the trust and good relation with client. Even if you are unsure of certain aspects of the project or your work is getting delayed due to some reason, it is beneficial to just be honest with the client and try to explain the situation to him / her. If you hide or lie to them, they will lose trust in you which is not good for long term.

7. Be patient –

There will be many situations when dealing with clients where your patience would be put to test. In such panic circumstances, it is very common for clients to get hyper and blame consultants for whatever is going wrong. It is important to keep your calm at such times and patiently make the client understand that you are trying your best. This behavior would go a long way in maintaining good relations with the client and also handling the situation at hand.

8. Remember, you can’t win an argument –

Trying to argue with your client will only make him / her dislike you. This does not mean you can let him / her speak to speak to you rudely. You must help them see your point of view rather than forcing them to see your point of view. If you think it is your fault, admit it. Even if it is not your fault, say things like “Sorry if I haven’t explained something clearly”. This will make your clients more willing to listen to your point of view. 

Please note that this is not a full-proof plan to deal with customers. Every situation brings its own surprises with it. However, remembering these points will help you tackle the situation with more confidence and you will also be able to maintain good relations with the client. 

About Author:

Kintu Racca is a consultant in Systems Plus Pvt. Ltd. Within Systems Plus, she actively contributes to the areas of Technology and Information Security. She can be contacted at kintu.r@spluspl.com