Courtesy Has Limits And Is A Two-Way Street
My whole business model depends on attracting awesome people and keeping them happy. Reaching out for new business – B2B or B2C is a function we all need to do for business sustainability and growth. Whether an SME or a global corporate, we all are in the game of attracting new business. The question is how to attract the right type of client. Bully clients are everywhere and they are time consuming. They lead with their egos. Client bullies bring more emotion to the conversation right away – whining, residual anger or frustration, anxiety. Note that I used the word “emotion,” not energy. They try to treat you like an employee who should be grateful to have a job.
According to the Pareto principle, 80 % of your headaches come from 20% of your clients.
It can be a shock when clients behave in ways that are rude or offensive, in essence a disrespectful human being. That kind of behavior is incompatible with my business values, and I have little tolerance for it. Any client you work with should treat you with respect. It forms the basis for an equal, honest, and open working relationship. When you first start out in business it can take a while to adapt to the transition from employee to business owner mindset, and as a result there can be uncertainty in how you expect your client to behave. There is no excuse for your client treating you poorly. If a client is disrespectful, rude, or overly-critical of your work then it’s time to cut your losses and terminate your contract agreement. Being unhappy and/or being treated unfairly this will subconsciously affect the quality of your work.
Funny thing about me, though. I’d rather be flat broke than be disrespected. Because that’s what it is, whether they do it intentionally or not: a form of disrespect for the experience you bring, for your insight, for your ability to do your job, for your willingness to be helpful without being taken advantage of.
Non-negotiable. Business is business. Courtesy has a limit and is a two-way street!
