Firing a customer … Have you ever thought of doing that? And what kind of picture does it conjure up?
This is more than just an idle question. A colleague and I recently ended a client relationship, and we both walked away feeling energized. As a quick background, we had worked with this company for some eight years, producing a monthly newsletter that functioned as a valuable marketing tool.
Newsletters—or any other publication, for that matter—require a production schedule. That sounds a little stiff and prissy, I know. But schedules are invaluable in getting content out the door. And without content that goes out on schedule, you don’t have content marketing, do you?
Okay, end of rant. What happened way too often with this client was that schedules flew out into the ether, as our internal contact and the executive director of the organization argued with each other. Of course, my colleague and I ended up saving their bacon every single time that happened—until we decided not to. We wrote a gracious email—offering to help our client make the transition to a new vendor—and giving two months’ notice. Pretty princely, I’d say.
By the way, this blog is inspired by a 2015 article by Karen Vujnovic, a Manta staff writer. And here I quote the last two sentences in her article: “Even if the words ‘the customer is always right’ were drilled into your head early on, know that it’s an archaic assumption and, frankly, untrue. Some customers are worth giving up to avoid unnecessary stress, expense or affecting the well-being of a valued employee.”
Yes! So here are the three criteria for firing your customer. Thanks again to Ms. Vujnovic:
- They’re costing you money. (My thought: This is a killer for a small business, but even if you’re a big business, who needs it?)
- You neglect other business obligation while you take care of them. Or you lose sleep, which is not cool. (Read The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington. )
- They violate company values, your employees, or you. Disrespect is never in fashion.
You can absolutely fire a client in a cool and classy way. Just script the conversation or the email in advance, so that you don’t blurt it out. And know that when you do and tell others what you’ve done—no need to mention names—you will empower (horrid word) them to do the same to the abusers in their professional and personal lives.
stuartphoto / 123RF Stock Photo
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