Difficult Clients

Building a Business

3 Types of Difficult Clients You Will Meet (and How To Manage Them)

Clients can be challenging, but that doesn't make them bad clients! Lead with empathy and be ready to communicate openly to build mutual success.

By Vuk Stajic

Thought Leaders

How To Embed Your Client Needs into Your Business DNA

By Rim Elijah

Thought Leaders

Beware the Client from Hell — 4 Strategies to Salvage Your Client Relationships

By Emily Reynolds

Building a Business

Don’t Let Your Biggest Client Become Your Biggest Nightmare — You Should Fire Them Instead. Here’s Why.

By Emily Reynolds

Building a Business

3 Red Flags You Have a Nightmare Client — and How to Cut Ties

Nightmare clients can make it more difficult to build the business of your dreams. Learn how to spot the top signs early on and end the relationship, here.

By Amanda Breen

Thought Leaders

What Vision Loss Has Taught Me About Balancing Extremes in Business

A legally blind CEO gives her particular wisdom on navigating complex decisions and avoiding the tendency to go to extremes in business.

By Nancy Solari

Business News

How to Tell Your Bullying Client to Politely (and Professionally) Get Lost

Succumbing to a client's unreasonable demands and tantrums is an easy mistake for business owners to make.

By Paul Fitzgerald

Human Resources

3 Difficult Workplace Personalities That Are Great Hires

Before writing off these challenging candidates as "toxic," consider what they can contribute to your organization

By Marina Glazman

Thought Leaders

6 Things to Do When a Client Loses Interest in Your Work

It happens to every freelancer at some point. A client changed focus or found someone whose work they like more.

By John Boitnott

Thought Leaders

Why It’s Important to Protect Your Team From Difficult Clients

The customer isn't always right, and you should confront them when they're wrong.

By Louis Camassa

Thought Leaders

5 Reasons to Fire a Customer — Plus 5 Steps to Take Before You Do

Most situations are resolvable, but it's important to know when to go your separate ways.

By Tom Walker

Building a Business

Not All Clients Are Good for Business. Here’s How to Find the Ones Who Are.

Customers who don't value your work appropriately are a financial and emotional drain.

By Kimanzi Constable

Thought Leaders

A Disastrous Project and Screaming Client Are Inevitable

Great leaders learn from everything, and a project gone wrong is no exception. Here's a process for doing just that.

By Manish Dudharejia

Thought Leaders

4 Types of Clients Your Growing Business Can’t Afford to Work With

It may seem counter-intuitive, but firing certain types of paying customers could actually help your company grow.

By Mike Kalis

Building a Business

How to Deal With 4 Types of Impossible Clients

Just because a client is difficult doesn't mean you can't keep him or her happy.

By Matt Keener

Building a Business

Finding Your Soul While Hunting ‘Whales’

Will you become Ahab, or thrive, when that great big, dreamed-of client comes calling?

By Mitch Rothschild

Building a Business

How to Finesse Your Relationship With the 10 Types of Clients Everyone Gets

No matter how well you know you business, you have to know people to succeed.

By Rocco Baldassarre

Building a Business

3 Lessons for Handling Challenging Clients

Sometimes, the best strategy is to say no, and mean it.

By Chelsea Berler

Building a Business

4 Times You Need to Say Goodbye to a Client

Nobody likes a break up, but sometimes it's the best thing to do for your business.

By Deborah Mitchell

Thought Leaders

7 Telltale Signs It’s Time to Fire a Client

Some clients simply aren't worth the money they are paying.

By Renée Warren

Building a Business

10 People Who Will Destroy Your Business

Be wary of those who have flash or cash but not your best interests in mind.

By Isaiah Hankel

Thought Leaders

5 Tried and True Ways to Calm Down a Difficult Client

You can't make everyone happy all the time but you can always listen and offer solutions.

By Pratik Dholakiya

Marketing

7 Strategies to Succeed With That Demanding, Difficult Customer

Understand how to deflect and bypass a client's anger to meet your goals.

By Sherrie Campbell

Building a Business

Not in the Mood to Battle Corporate Customer Service? Get a Jerk to Do It For You.

If you're a jerk looking for work, the former head of Reddit just might have a job for you. Nice guys need not apply.

By Kim Lachance Shandrow

Marketing

‘Opportunity Cost’ Sounds Abstract But It Costs Your Business Real Money

Clients who don't value your time keep you from those who do. There are polite ways to set them straight.

By Sam Madden

Building a Business

The Essential Script for Releasing a Client

It's awkward, but knowing how to say adieu to a problem customer can make all the difference.

By Kate Swoboda

Building a Business

4 Scenarios That May Prompt You to Divorce a Client

Should you stay or should you go? Here's how to tell whether you should keep working with that client.

By Kate Swoboda