[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner el_class=”container”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]We all know clients are a tradie\u2019s livelihood – without them, you wouldn\u2019t have projects, and without projects and jobs, you wouldn\u2019t be making money. Knowing this makes it all the more difficult when your clients are being right d*cks. So how do you make sure that both you and your clients are always happy?<\/span><\/p>\n

Set expectations from the get-go<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the main reasons that clients get stroppy is when they have higher expectations about the work and when it will be done. If you make it really clear from the outset what they can expect from you and how long the job will take, they can\u2019t really get angry about it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is also a good time to underpromise and overdeliver – it sounds like a weird way to go about things, but if you think you can get the job done in 6 months, tell them it will take 9 months. That way, if you do finish everything up in 6, they\u2019ll be pleasantly surprised, and if it does take longer because of any unexpected hurdles, they\u2019ll be none the wiser.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can also give them a general indication of what will be done at each stage of the job, they\u2019ll have something to refer to and will have a better idea of how the process works, without needing to constantly call you about what\u2019s going on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Communicate clearly and regularly<\/strong><\/p>\n

It might be annoying to have to keep communicating with the clients when the job is on track and going well, but it will definitely save you a lot of hassle later down the line. The client will appreciate the updates and will be more likely to be co-operative and friendly towards you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The more you check that the client actually understands what you\u2019re talking about, the better the result will be. Conflicts and complaints usually arise from misunderstandings too, so if you\u2019re clear about what will happen and make sure the client is too, then you should hopefully avoid any heated arguments!<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good idea to keep any communications noted down somewhere too – keeping records is a really great way of saving yourself trouble when the client says you didn\u2019t tell them something important. If any changes are requested, note these down, and make sure you document your response so everyone knows what was promised and what needs to happen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have a contract<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one\u2019s pretty obvious but sometimes if you\u2019re just doing a job for a mate or a mate\u2019s mate, you might not think it\u2019s really necessary. No matter who you\u2019re doing the job for, the best way to avoid any conflict or complaints is to have a contract and make sure the client understands it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If at any time the client wants something different than what they\u2019ve agreed to in the contract and gets sh*tty when you can\u2019t do it, you can always bring them back to this document. There\u2019s not really much they can do if they\u2019ve signed something that says you\u2019re only doing this and not that, and it protects you as well if things turn ugly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just make sure that all of the services you\u2019re doing are clearly marked out in here and you can note that if they require extra services, there may be extra charges, extra time added, etc. etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep your professional cool<\/strong><\/p>\n

If a complaint is unavoidable, because let\u2019s face it, some people just like to complain, you need to make sure you deal with it professionally. That means no name-calling (out loud) , fixing the problem as best you can, offering a refund or discounted service, and directing them to a higher authority to deal with if they want to escalate it further.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Often, once people realise you\u2019re not going to take the bait and yell and scream back, they do tend to calm down and deal with it as professionally as you to avoid looking ridiculous.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_id=”related-post”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Related articles” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center|color:%2313143e” use_theme_fonts=”yes” el_class=”title my-5″][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”3″ orderby=”rand” item=”918″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1566333771631-4b90be5d-fdfb-4″ el_class=”related-posts mx-auto mt-3 “][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner el_class=”container”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]We all know clients are a tradie\u2019s livelihood – without them, you wouldn\u2019t have projects, and without projects and jobs, you wouldn\u2019t be making money. Knowing this makes it all the more difficult when your clients are being right d*cks. So how do you make sure that both you and your clients are always […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-tradesmen"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n