Getting rid of a customer you just don't want?

[SpareParts 3]

I have just a very small business (half step up from a hobby really) and work from my home. Most of my customers I have contact with through e-mail only. Occasionally I will get a customer that, quite frankly, I just don't want to do business with (because they are rude or demanding or what have you). How do you politely tell someone to get lost / quit contacting you? As much of my advertising is through word of mouth I of course do not want to get a bad rep, but on the other hand I also don't want to subject myself to the occasional crazy. I hate to simply ignore them. Any advice?

[Rodger 527]

I have told people like that " I am too busy & you would be better off getting someone else " . That is not the truth & I hate to be untruthful , but it is better than being rude & effecting your reputation IMO .

I do go up in price according to attitude & aggravation as soon as that starts . That usually takes care of things before it gets to the biting your tongue part .

[MZ SKEETER 4,709]

I have just a very small business (half step up from a hobby really) and work from my home. Most of my customers I have contact with through e-mail only. Occasionally I will get a customer that, quite frankly, I just don't want to do business with (because they are rude or demanding or what have you). How do you politely tell someone to get lost / quit contacting you? As much of my advertising is through word of mouth I of course do not want to get a bad rep, but on the other hand I also don't want to subject myself to the occasional crazy. I hate to simply ignore them. Any advice?

I had a person like that not too long on EBAY, wanting me to do a custom job. I told him from the git go I was not interested in the job. He just keep on, and on, pretty please? etc. about 4 emails to me. I finally just blocked him as a bidder and being able to contact me. Because sure as crap, this person would find a problem with the order, and not let up. I did not even want his custom order. and he just kept on. Block them, email etc. Best thing in the long run...and MOVE ON...

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

Usaly I give a really large price with a large down payment and if by chance they take the contract at least it will be worth the aggravation. I also just work from word of mouth no advertizement of any type so most of my referals are mostly pretty much screened by my customers that refered them so I dont have too many A Holes.

Dan

[screenprintr 319]

Caller-ID works too.

[NukleoN 34]

I have just a very small business (half step up from a hobby really) and work from my home. Most of my customers I have contact with through e-mail only. Occasionally I will get a customer that, quite frankly, I just don't want to do business with (because they are rude or demanding or what have you). How do you politely tell someone to get lost / quit contacting you? As much of my advertising is through word of mouth I of course do not want to get a bad rep, but on the other hand I also don't want to subject myself to the occasional crazy. I hate to simply ignore them. Any advice?

I think simply ignoring someone is a bad course of action, and might make some people more insistent. Either dissuade them with deterrent pricing and huge deposits (as mentioned in this thread) or just say you can't take the job and be firm about it. It's your business, you are in control. Don't just ignore them though.

[stetson5331 80]

I have told people like that " I am too busy & you would be better off getting someone else " . That is not the truth & I hate to be untruthful , but it is better than being rude & effecting your reputation IMO .

I do go up in price according to attitude & aggravation as soon as that starts . That usually takes care of things before it gets to the biting your tongue part .

=1

Price it up so if they bite it's worth the agrivation and petty crap..Make them pay for it as Roger said..I call it the obnoxious customer fee on my paper work..Just don;t show that copy to them..ALSO get your money up front from them before doing work..Sometime harder to collect from a picky picky anoying person..

stetson5331

[NukleoN 34]

=1

Price it up so if they bite it's worth the agrivation and petty crap..Make them pay for it as Roger said..I call it the obnoxious customer fee on my paper work..Just don;t show that copy to them..ALSO get your money up front from them before doing work..Sometime harder to collect from a picky picky anoying person..

stetson5331

There is an unusual phenomenon too I've noticed in my 20+ years freelancing....the more a client pays, the less they tend to hassle you (with exceptions of course).

You can test this principle out on your more demanding clients. I think this phenomenon is partially due to the client feeling like he's the dominant party if you're too cheap (thinking you're a noob, desperate, an easy mark, etc.) and the client carries that dominance into being a difficult client (of course it depends on the person).

If you get top dollar you've become the dominant person in the relationship and the client clearly values your skill, and tends to trust your decisions more. It's sort of like paying George Clooney to act in your movie instead of some decent actor who's still new. Clooney can charge more because he has a track record, many other opportunities and clients, is rich, etc. You will pay more for Clooney and probably treat him better even if your intent is to be fair. Sometimes I try to give people I know rock-bottom pricing and they treat me very well, because they know I normally charge more and there's mutual respect still. Now I am no Clooney nor am I famous, but my experience/skill compared to someone who is just getting started is an apt analogy.

Either way, I call it 'deterrent pricing' for obnoxious customers you don't care about losing. They leave, you win. They pay, you win. Generally, I will work with annoying clients but I won't tolerate shenanigans or dishonesty, EG: Trying to add new work for a fixed price based on less work, not paying because they 'didn't like something', not letting me set the schedule or not telling me ahead of time of a secret schedule, etc. Anyone who's freelanced long enough knows some of the crazy things clients do, and not always with malice but just a lack of experience dealing with content-creators.

First thing I would do with an annoying client is set the terms, clearly, and be very precise about what they can expect and when. Communicating can solve 99% of your problems. For the rest, there are better jobs/clients out there.

[SpareParts 3]

Thank you everyone. I appreciate the advice.

[dc_autosports 2]

Similar story to yours...... and a great present after getting home from church.