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Bad Clients are Bad for Business
Jun 1We’re lucky to have really great clients at our company. They know we run a successful HR communication consulting business and that we charge for our services. For that, we strive to do more than we’re asked to do — we anticipate. We were profitable from the day we started. We didn’t borrow a dime.
Unfortunately, anyone who has spent any time in a services or creative business has run into the situation like what happens in the video above. Whether you’re running a business or are an internal HR consultant to your client group, remember what Robert Half said: Free advice is worth the price.
[via Swiss Miss]
About the Author
Frank Roche
Frank started IFRACTAL over 7 years ago with Sarah Chambers. Together, they've created HR communications and HR software for some of the world's leading companies. Frank is also studying Flamenco guitar and origami.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. This was the best.
I have been on both sides of the “video rental counter”, each for many years. This is perfect.
This got my highest compliment. I knowlingly missed a train home in order to watch the rest of this video.
Bravo.
Bill, that is high praise. If I miss the 5:35, it means I’m griding.
Isn’t that video something? It really tells a great story…funny that the good people get this one so much, and I’m afraid the knuckleheads will miss the point. I love it.
Love it thanks.
I’ve used the restaurant analogy when buying too (PR and SEO) – “Would you go into a restaurant and pay them money to maybe get you food?”
All the best from Brighton,
Mark
@Mark, really good way to frame it. And always great to hear from you in beautiful Brighton. (One of my favorite places in the world.)
Love this. LOVE.IT. I’m forwarding to every salesperson in my company. We are a tiny consulting company working for giant, Fortune 50 corporations, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to talk them down off of giving write offs and discounts. Thanks!
I have this conversation all the time as a consultant. I recently even argued for 20 minutes with a colleague in another area of our company saying that I was NOT going to automatically cut my price to some number that the potential client wanted for a project. A number that he made up on the spot –with the promise of more work of course. No wonder that other area of our company loses money.
I have also been asked to retoactively cut my fees on work that was praised and exactly what was requested but they decided after the fact that this was a service that they could have done in-house and saved some money. My only response was HUH?
@Rick, yeah, man, the only answer is “Huh?” I mean, in the real world (read: not in consulting) that would be called fraud for someone to talk something of value and then not pay for it. People get kicked off eBay for less. I am constantly astonished when stuff like that happens. Those are bad clients…my only solution? Dump them.