Irrespective of the quality of their work, designers may come across some customers, who are definitely unreasonable and hard to get by. They should be handled wisely.
No matter how professional you may be at web design, there are a few habitually unhappy customers who will always find something to complain about. It doesn’t matter whose fault it is, you may use these tactics to handle the situation.
Listen to them
The primary way of dealing with unhappy customers is to have them speak out regarding their concerns. Do not interrupt. The aim is to allow them to speak and get it out of the system; that way you can genuinely know what is bothering them and how to help. When it’s your turn, tell them that you have understood their concern and will resolve their issue as soon as possible. They will be glad that you have heard them out and are willing to rectify things. So make sure that you ‘walk the talk’, and resolve it right away. However, you need to ensure that they do not resort to abusive language in order to make their point. Abusive words and actions need not be used to propel you to carry out your job.
Take Time to Respond
It is best not to respond to such unreasonable comments immediately. Given that your communication with clients is through email or telephone, take an hour or two before responding. This will allow you see the correct perspective of things, and also, stop you from responding unprofessionally.
Stop Escalation
If a client speaks to you in an annoying voice or is downright abusive, do not hit back in a similar way. Maintain an air of dignity and professionalism and do not stoop to their level. If not, things may get blown out of proportion.
Self-Introspection
t is being very critical of you, DO NOT concentrate on how to ‘fight’ back. Just take a deep breath and reflect on the possibilities; maybe your work is indeed not up to the mark. The client may be right and some mistake may have occurred. If so, think along the lines of, what went wrong and how it can be fixed. It could be that the client is clearly mistaken and the error is of their own doing. But, in order to be sure of that, you need to think logically.
Move On
In spite of your self-introspection and promise to resolve any issues, if the client is still being unreasonable, then it may be the right time to move on. There is really no wisdom, fighting over a small amount, you may pay it off and let go. It really doesn’t matter who is right or wrong, you cannot afford to waste your time and energy on clients who is unreasonable. You may do so politely, pay those unhappy customers, and bow out respectfully.
These are a few pointers on dealing with unhappy customers, which can go a long way ensuring the smooth running of your
web design business.
