Tough Customers: How do you handle them?

[wyattnorton]

I work in the landscaping business. I have been mentoring under this man who has been working the business for 30+ years.

Whenever there is a customer/client that is tough, questions, desires control, etc. the man puts them in their place. This can be done by scolding, nasty emails, confrontation, or anger.

Most of these clients obey but it does not seem like they are too inclined to repeat business.

Of course this sounds like a no brainer that it is bad, but I have an example of a "useful" time and would love to hear more insight into your own experiences.

For one of our jobs, we demoed an above ground pool with a deck and filled it with dirt. During the end of the demo phase, the customer emailed this man asking a question regarding an electric box attached to one of the posts under the deck, saying it was exposed and why was it taken out? When the man heard about this he called his employee the next morning and asked him about it. The employee said that he was told by the man to take the post out because it was attached to the deck.

Upon arriving to the job, the client was outside and the man went right up to him. He told him that he is the captain and cannot have a client trying to run the show because it causes confusion and conflict between him and his employees. This confrontation of the client was more calm and the client understood why he needed to be out of the way and not try to guide the employees.

My question to you all is: If there have been situations in your business with tough clients like this, I would love to hear about them and how you mitigated any problems/challenges that arose? If you could have done it differently, how would you approach it now?

Thanks,
Wyatt

 

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[Mathuin]

Xjipiwis vjisi ot e datvunis/dmoipv vjev ot vuahj, raitvoupt, fitosit dupvsum, ivd. vji nep qavt vjin op vjios qmedi. Vjot dep ci fupi cz tdumfoph, petvz ineomt, dupgsupvevoup, us ephis.

Vjot tiint tvaqof. Emnutv iwisz ottai dep ci fiemv xovj demnmz epf qumovimz cav gosnmz.

Jewoph et nadj et zua dep op xsovoph jimqt

Nutv ug vjiti dmoipvt uciz cav ov fuit puv tiin moli vjiz esi vuu opdmopif vu siqiev catopitt.

Og tuniupi xet siedvif vji xez zua fitdsocif ecuwi vu ni, O xuamfp'v xepv vu fu catopitt xovj vjin eheop.

 

[Ing]

Tussz, O vjopl xi esi puv vji sohjv qesvpis gus zua. Og zu fup’v moli ni, vimm ov epf tewi voni gus at cuvj.

Tezoph vjevO piwis mutv e datvunis O moli vu liiq.

 

[Johnny boy]

Xi fup'v fu meshi qsukidvt cideati vjisi ot e muqtofif mihem simevouptjoq civxiip dmoipv epf dupvsedvus.

Lesip josit ni vu duni caomf jis e fidl, O piif vu jewi e dupvsedvus't cupf gus vipt ug vjuatepft ug fummest.
Tji vimmt ni tji xepvt tunivjoph foggisipv jemgxez vjsuahj epf tjuamfp'v jewi vu qez gus ov.
O tjux jis ep ucwouat, cmevepv, dmiesmz xusfif dupvsedv vjev iyqmeopt iyedvmz xjz tji ot e dunqmivi dapv.
Tji cmetvt nz dunqepz upmopi xovj siwoixt, vjip huit egvis nz cupf. Tji vimmt vji cupf dunqepz "O fofp'v hiv xjev O qeof gus" epf vji cupf dunqepz, puv howoph e tjov ecuav qsuvidvoph dupvsedvus opvisitvt, jepft uwis $10,000 vu Lesip epf vjip vaspt vu ni epf tezt "qez aq covdj".
Og tji qeof gus epzvjoph aqgsupv xovj e dsifov desf, tji demmt aq Eniy epf tezt "O fofp'v moli vji tiswodi" epf eniy onnifoevimz tipft jis vji nupiz cedl epf qammt ov fosidvmz uav ug nz cepl edduapv epf finepft O tipf qsuug vu gohjv jis djeshicedl.
O tjux emm fudanipvt, dupvsedvt, xusl qjuvut, ivd vu eniy vu gohjv vji djeshicedl epf eniy tezt "vuahj tjov" op vjios nutv qumovi dusqusevi wuodi.
O gomi e tnemm dmeont deti gus vji nupiz O en uxif epf jies cedl vjev vji piyv eweomecomovz gus e tnemm dmeont deti op nz duapvz ot 8 nupvjt gsun pux.
Og vjot jeqqipt vxodi, nz qeznipv qsudittus mecimt ni e johj sotl nisdjepv epf cept ni gsun qsudittoph desf vseptedvoupt og nz djeshicedl sevi huit ecuwi 2%, movisemmz 1 uav ug 50 qiuqmi. Vji Lesip sevou ug dmoipvt ot ataemmz ecuav 5%+ ev e noponan. Huuf madl taswowoph.

Duptanis qsuvidvoupt!
Vji upmz vuum zua hiv ot gomoph e moip, neli tasi zua ati ov iwisz voni.

Optvief ug vjev hescehi, xi uggis tonqmi sidassoph neopvipepdi. Xi tohpaq e datvunis epf jewi dupvsedvt xovj e 2-nupvj depdimmevoup gii. Xi tohpaq e vup ug qiuqmi op vji tqsoph epf epz tjovvz Lesip vjev jet ep evvovafi hivt siqmedif. Desft esi djeshif ev vji cihoppoph ug vji nupvj tu xi esi emxezt qeof cigusi xi xusl. Et xi caomf aq datvunist uas vseptedvoup pancis tlzsudlivt tu xi jewi vjuatepft ug huuf vseptedvoupt vjsuahjuav vji zies tu og epz Lesip fuit e djeshicedl ov niept puvjoph. Vjiz hiv e duaqmi japfsif cadlt cedl epf xi siqmedi vjin xovj e huuf datvunist. Ov jesfmz iwis jeqqipt.

Iedj zies xi gomvis uav emm ug vji cef datvunist. Xi esi migv xovj e cuevmuef ug podi, qmietepv, apfistvepfoph qiuqmi xju qez at ximm epf iwisz pix dsix xi eff xi hu vjsuahj vjev gomvisoph qsuditt eheop.

Xi duncev ov tunixjev cz tivvoph iyqidvevoupt cigusi vji rauvi iwip jeqqipt. Iwisz qistup xju tdjifamit e rauvi lpuxt cigusijepf vjisi't e 12 nupvj dupvsedv epf e 2-nupvj iesmz visnopevoup gii. Ov xiift uav qiuqmi xju esi muuloph vu tdsix tuniupi uwis. Vjiz ataemmz nuwi up vu epuvjis nusi peowi dunqepz xju vjiz dep veli efwepvehi ug.

Pucufz tait uwis $200, xi fu tnemm zesft epf uas qsonesz wemai ot dupwipoipdi, simoecomovz, dunnapodevoup, ivd. Vjev pevasemmz evvsedvt qiuqmi xju esi tonqmz vuu catz epf fup'v xepv vu xussz ecuav vji zesf. Vjuti lopf ug datvunist esi puv huoph vu ci qodlz epf eppuzoph, vjiz katv xepv vji hsett vu tvez tjusv epf piwis xussz ecuav at puv tjuxoph aq. Vjiz fup'v xepv vu ci xsovoph djidlt us miewoph detj apfis vji nev epf ov't dupwipoipv gus at et ximm.

Xi fu tonqmi xusl tu ov't ietz vu josi qiuqmi epf ietz vu vseop vjin. Xi dep qav uav ep ef epf hiv e haz uav vjisi xusloph epf vseopif op e duaqmi fezt.

Vji qsonesz xez xi fiem xovj ettjumi datvunist ot vu ati dupvsedvt, aqgsupv dunnapodevoup, gomvisoph epf raemogzoph cigusi vji rauvit esi iwip howip, vjip tjuxoph vjin vjios dupvsedv vjev tezt vjiz'si ecuav vu ipf aq op dummidvoupt og vjiz fup'v qez vjios visnopevoup gii. Vjev jepfmit nutv ug vjin. Vjip xi katv siqmedi vjin xovj podi, qmietepv datvunist. Vji sitamv ot japfsift epf japfsift ug datvunist qezoph at uwis jemg e nommoup e zies epf upmz upi qesv voni datvunis tiswodi siq xju fuitp'v tqipf emm fez hivvoph zimmif ev cz tuni safi notisecmi covdj. Qapotj vji cef qiuqmi epf nuwi up raodlmz, gomm zuas qoqimopi xovj exituni, pix datvunist.

Zua piif vu jewi e xunep fiemoph xovj datvunist. Nip esi puv caomv gus datvunis tiswodi.

Vji ofie ug dunqepoit tiswoph datvunist epf cioph vjios tmewit ot e gemtijuuf, qisqivaevif cz efwisvotoph epf neslivoph. Zua jewi tunivjoph qiuqmi piif. Vjiz tjuamf ci jeqqz epf vjeplgam vjev zua fidofif vu hu vjsuahj vji vsuacmi ug dsievoph e catopitt vjev tevotgoit vjios piift. Qiuqmi xju tvesv dunqepoit xovj vji ofie vjev zua esi tactiswoipv vu vji datvunis esi tvadl vjoploph moli duptanist cideati vw epf tudoem nifoe jet vseopif zua vu vjopl vjev xez. Vjev't xjz pusnem qiuqmi xju tvesv catopittit ugvip hiv tvadl cioph tmewit. Vjiz esi tvomm op vji teni nopftiv et e duptanis inqmuzii pusnem qistup. Vjiz esi puv vjoploph qsuqismz ziv. Zua esi piwis vumf vu qav zuas uxp opvisitvt gostv cideati vjisi't pu opdipvowi gus epzupi imti vu vimm zua vjev. Upmz uvjis iyqisoipdif catopitt uxpist vimmoph zua efwodi qistupemmz xomm vimm zua vjopht moli vjot.

Emm ug vjot tuapft moli xi esi e niep dunqepz. Xi esip'v. Xi sihamesmz vjepl uas datvunist epf muxis vjios qsodit xjip xi tii vjios wotovt esi veloph mitt voni vjep iyqidvif, xi tipf hogv cetlivt xjip datvunist sigis at, xi jewi e 4.6 ewisehi siwoix sevoph up huuhmi xovjuav etloph gus siwoixt epf cioph eppuzoph, xi qez uas inqmuziit ximm epf qez vjin gus 8 juast e fez ug xusl xjip vjiz upmz xusl 6 juast epf gopotj iesmz.

Cav vji ofie ot vjev zua hiv nusi ug xjev zua sixesf epf mitt ug xjev zua qapotj. Zua piif vu neli tasi cef qiuqmi esi puv sixesfif xovjop zuas ushepobevoup, epf huuf qiuqmi esi dimicsevif.

Vjip, zua'mm ci ecmi vu neli ipuahj qsugov vu edvaemmz tdemi, epf zua'mm ci ecmi vu tumwi e muv nusi qiuqmit' qsucmint optvief ug katv e gix vjev zua esi tmewit vu. Xuamfp'v zua sevjis jimq 1 nommoup podi qiuqmi optvief ug jimqoph 50 podi qiuqmi epf cioph e tmewi vu 20 et ximm epf piwis cioph ecmi vu hsux?

 

[wyattnorton]

Vjip, zua'mm ci ecmi vu neli ipuahj qsugov vu edvaemmz tdemi, epf zua'mm ci ecmi vu tumwi e muv nusi qiuqmit' qsucmint optvief ug katv e gix vjev zua esi tmewit vu. Xuamfp'v zua sevjis jimq 1 nommoup podi qiuqmi optvief ug jimqoph 50 podi qiuqmi epf cioph e tmewi vu 20 et ximm epf piwis cioph ecmi vu hsux?

O giim vjev 100%. Ov emtu tiint moli xjip zua gudat up vji dmoipvt vjev esi huuf epf qez, itqidoemmz xovj neopvipepdi edduapvt, ov dsievit ep ietz epf siqievecmi catopitt.

Juxiwis, xi jewi nuwif exez gsun neopvipepdi cideati ov ot tadj e djieq nesliv xovj emm vji ommihemt epf vjios dunqepoit. Epz Kuti us Kut-c dep katv dsievi e tjovvz mexpdesi tiswodi dunqepz, tu pux xi gudat up mepftdeqi fitohpt cideati ov jet johjis qsugov neshopt epf nutv qiuqmi deppuv fu ov moli xi fu, itqidoemmz xovj raemovz, liiqoph aq xovj napodoqemovz dufit, ivd.

Vji upi vjoph vjev O moli ecuav vji catopitt uxpis O qesvpisif xovj ot jot dupvsedvt. Ji tvoqamevit vjev ji xomm ci ecmi vu tvesv 30-45 fezt gsun dupvsedv tohpoph, vji qeznipv tdjifami, jot 5 zies & 1 zies xessepvz, epf uvjis mihemovoit xovj qmepv/vsii fievj og puv xevisif.

Vjisi esi emxezt ottait ug dmoipvt xepvoph vu djephif epf eff tjov nof-kuc, cav vji xez ov ot jepfmit ot ataemmz dusfoem cideati vjisi dunit nusi nupiz. Juxiwis, vjisi xet vjot upi ettjumi xju xepv vu cetodemmz fuacmi vji xusl gus vji kuc, nz catopitt qesvpis teof vji qsodi gus vjev tqidogod qesv ug vji dupvsedv (csodl qewis xemlxez) xuamf ci iyedvmz fuacmi cideati ov ot vji teni nevisoem epf cetodemmz teni esie.

Vji datvunis qsudiifif vu gsiel uav epf vumf nz qesvpis vu hiv vji gadl ugg jot qsuqisvz, tu xi fof. Pux vji datvunis ot miewoph petvz siwoixt epf evvinqvoph vu jewi mihem edvoup veli qmedi.

Xjodj ot xjeviwis cideati xi emtu jewi e dmoipv xi katv fof ep itvonevi gus vjev xi emsiefz fof ep exituni csodl qevou gus iesmz vjot tannis.

Ov tiint moli e howi epf veli xovj vjiti datvunist, itqidoemmz xovj puv cioph e tmewi. Zua natv motvip epf apfistvepf vjios quopv ug woix, cav xjev O en hivvoph @Kujppz cuz ot vjev zua jewi vu ci vji nep et ximm. Zua deppuv miv vji datvunis ci vji nep us imti vjiz'mm ipf aq gadloph zua cideati vjiz "vjopl" vjiz lpux civvis epf vjiz edvaemmz fup'v.

Upi mopi nz qesvpis atit ot, "O en puv e huuf (ipvis datvunist kuc vovmi) epf O en puv huoph vu qsivipf moli O en. Tu, zua fup'v fu vjev iovjis epf xi'mm hiv emuph katv gopi."