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Making Things Right

Posted By Administration, Tuesday, April 9, 2019

I was reading a photography magazine the other day, and I came across an article that was discussing strengthening a photography business.  I thought, “this pretty much applies to any business, but especially to our business.”  While I am stealing some of the following from that article, I don’t feel particularly bad about it since they listed Psychology Today as their source.  So, I am actually stealing this from Psychology Today.  The article was about dealing with an upset client. I don’t know why we surveyors have clients that would get upset with us; after all, every surveyor is a paragon of virtue. But, nonetheless, we have all had upset clients. If you haven’t … just wait … you will. The client might even be someone within your own company. 

If you are like most of us, you will take the position of having to “deal with” an upset client. But, according to the article, the “dealing with” attitude is one that you will need to let go. “Dealing with” an issue is a quick fix so that it will go away. Unfortunately, the client is likely to go away also. In some cases that is a good thing, but it can also be a negative. When something goes wrong, you should repair your relationship with the client. Empathize with the client instead of getting defensive or making excuses. As my mom used to tell me, “Excuses are like belly buttons - everybody has one.” Those of you that knew my mom are sure to know that she didn’t really say “belly buttons”. The article went on to list the following four goals:

 LISTEN

  • Don’t talk over or interrupt
  • Give your complete attention
  • Do not be distracted by thinking of what you want to say next
  • Let them say everything they need to say
  • Don’t jump in and try to “correct” their perception

UNDERSTAND

  • It’s not about you, it’s about them
  • See things from your client’s perspective
  • Focus on how the situation made your client feel
  • Let them know you understand their perspective (even if you don’t agree) and repeat their concerns back to them

EMPATHIZE

  • Show you understand how they feel
  • Let them know you get it
  • Affirm that their upset feelings are reasonable (even if they aren’t).  (“I totally understand why you are upset. I would be, too. It was insensitive/careless/thoughtless/unprofessional.”)

APOLOGIZE

  • Strive to make the other person feel better, relieving them of the emotional burden of their distress
  • Offer a clear “I’m sorry” statement
  • Express how much you regret what happened
  • Empathize and acknowledge the impact of your actions on them

I realize that these suggestions are not valid for all instances or clients. It is a lot better for your business for YOU to decide to lose a client than to have the client decide to leave because they are unhappy with your handling of a situation. Studies show that when we have a good experience with a company, we tend to tell three other people about it. Positive word-of-mouth is great for business. However, those same studies show that someone who is displeased with a situation tells, on average, eleven people about it.

 

Again, I cannot think of a situation where it is better for the client to fire you than for you to fire the client. And, should you decide to fire the client, the article suggested the following.

 

DON’T LIE

You can stretch the truth by saying things like, “We’ve really enjoyed working with you but…”, but don’t lie about the reason. It can (and probably will) come back to bite you later.

DON’T BE A JERK

When I say don’t lie, it doesn’t mean you have to tell them that everyone you have ever talked to hates their guts. It is acceptable to candy coat things a bit. You can say things like, “It feels like we haven’t been able to find a way to work together that is beneficial for both sides.”

DON’T JUST EMAIL

You can send them an email but make sure you also meet with them in person or call them on the phone. It’s more professional, you’ll be sure to get the tone right (which should be polite), and there's a better chance to minimize any hard feelings.

DON’T LEAVE THEM IN THE LURCH

Finish up whatever deliverable you’re working on, package up their files and have them ready to hand over (if the client is all paid up, of course). Recommend another company or consultant who might be a better fit for their needs.

EXCEPTION TO THE RULES

If your client has harassed any of your team members, made inappropriate and offensive statements or actions, or hasn’t paid you as per your contract, feel free to ignore all the above and dropkick them to Pluto.  And by dropkick them to Pluto, I mean contact your lawyer. There are some extreme circumstances that don’t warrant the high road, they call for the legal road.

Doug Turner, RPLS #3988, is Past President of TSPS and member of Chapter 9 - Gulf Coast. 

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