How to Deal with a Customer Who's Simply Asking Too Much

Business can be something of a balancing act, especially when it comes to CRM. Most companies have the lofty goal of offering a personal service to each and every client, but that’s simply not a scalable strategy. The result? Some clients (especially longer-term ones) may begin to make requests that become unrealistic or even counterproductive for your business. Let’s find out how to deal with this tricky situation.

Explain the reality of the situation

Honesty is the best policy, right? Well… sometimes. In the case of a customer who’s asking for too much of your time or resources, it may be an idea to clue them into the reality of the situation and actually push back a little. For example, let’s imagine you have a customer that was perhaps the second client you ever signed on. Back then, things were easy, and you had all the time in the world. Now, your client book has grown to twenty times the size. So it’s time to be honest: explain that things have changed, your resources are more stretched, and that to devote more time and energy to this client, you may need to renegotiate terms.  

Get it all down on paper

Here’s a tip that applies both at the commencement of work, and at the point at which the client is overburdening your business. Make 100% sure that you have everything that’s expected of each party documented in writing. As we mentioned above, this might mean that you’ll have to renegotiate your contract, but if it helps you save time, money, and resources, then so be it. Your newly reworked contract will need to include a detailed explanation of exactly what your business will provide, as well as a timeline within which these services will be delivered. With this type of bulletproof contract, you’ll finally have recourse when those OTT requests start coming in. If the client remains adamant that they want changes made, it’s time to rework that contract… again!

Know when enough is enough

When all else fails, it may be time to cut ties with a client that’s asking too much of your business. If you are under a contract, be sure that you abide by the termination clauses if they exist, but before this, exhaust all possibilities for resolution. Ending a business relationship isn't always easy, but if you ensure that you do everything by the letter, you should complete the process without stepping on too many toes. Prior to discussing the termination with the client, we’d recommend that you list all the ways that the client is over-burdening your business. You never know: they may not even realise they’re asking too much, and might just reign things in on their own volition.

So there you have it: a few handy tips for dealing with ‘that’ client. One way to avoid getting into this situation in the first place is to cultivate strong relationships with each of your customers. And the AutoVu CRM & FSM system is the very best way to do that. Check it out today and learn how you could transform your approach to customer relationship management.