It’s important to provide top of the line customer service to clients, and I take pride in doing so. Sometimes you can go a little too far and get taken for granted. Some clients expect too much for too little. If you find yourself laying in bed at night thinking about your clients then it might be time to fire them.
Here’s a few red flags that might tell you that it’s time to fire a client. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
They Cost You Money
The fact is, a client who is needy and doesn’t respect you can end up being a real money sucker. The reason is because if you spend a lot of resources putting out fires due to this client you’re using up time and money that could be put to better use with other clients or even towards building your own business.
They’re Not Your Ideal Client
Maybe when you started your business you took on any client, I know I did. But as my business grew I learned who I did and didn’t want to work with. As you get used to targeting the right client, you may find that some of your older clients just aren’t the right fight. They aren’t doing anything wrong, they’re just not adding value to your business as their not the right customer. If you let them go then you have room to bring on the right clients who make you happy.
Too Much Emotional Investment
Some clients want you emotionally invested in their business in a way that can be draining. I invest myself into all my clients clients’ businesses as I want them to succeed. But we do have to set some restrictions as you don’t want them calling you all hours of the day and night at their beck and call.
They Control You With Fear
Some clients will threaten you and try to control you by saying something like, we’ll if you can’t handle this I’ll find someone else who can. Or, oh you want to take a couple days off, I’m going to have to find someone who doesn’t. This type of client probably has no intention of ‘firing’ you, but they like keeping you on edge so they can control you.
You Just Don’t Enjoy Them
Sometimes after working with someone you no longer enjoy it. Maybe you just don’t enjoy the tasks they give you, or maybe you don’t connect with the client. If you don’t get any type of joy out of the working relationship or the work you are performing then it’s time to end it.
Firing your worst clients will open up room for more of the right clients. My motto is, anytime a client keeps me awake at night it’s time to let them go. And I don’t mean keeping me awake at night with phone calls, I’m talking about when I’m stressed out about a client. If it’s affecting your daily life, if you feel like you’re losing your mind or investing too much time for the payoff then let them go. You don’t have to say “you’re fired” but you can end your agreement politely.
Not sure how to break up with your client? I have the perfect template that you can use. Grab my breaking up with a client letter pack here.
