Comments on: 4 Ways Not to Be a Doormat

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:49:04 +0000

In a nutshell: clients are free to choose their service providers... just like we (freelance) service providers are free to choose our clients. The initial trial period (first jobs) is a two-way street.

Greetings!

By: Do-overs: 5 Things I Would Do Differently in Business

Do-overs: 5 Things I Would Do Differently in Business — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:01:42 +0000

[...] would have set some boundaries for myself and my business. I would have decided from the very beginning where I was going to draw [...]

By: Allan

Allan — Wed, 26 May 2010 09:29:34 +0000

The saying “the customer is always right” is one of the “Two Phrases that Destroyed American Culture”, according to this article I read a while back (warning, NSFW language): http://www.violentacres.com/archives/59/

Basically, that mantra has led certain people to believe they have the right to act badly under the shield of being a Customer. Wrong.

Thank you for this article. I’m dealing with an increasingly toxic client at the moment. As per your first point, I’ll revisit my terms, policies and limitations so I’ll have something concrete with which to push back.

By: Weekly Link Post 146 « Rhonda Tipton's WebLog

Weekly Link Post 146 « Rhonda Tipton's WebLog — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:09:09 +0000

[...] 4 Ways Not to Be a Doormat – “…it can sometimes be hard to draw the line between being of service and being taken advantage of by customers, clients and other professionals. Here are a few ways to reinforce that line.” [...]

By: Ted bendixson

Ted bendixson — Sat, 22 May 2010 02:20:47 +0000

I like the 80/20 rule. 20% of your clients will give you 80% of the pain. Know when, and how, to get rid of that 20%.

I had an altercation with a bad apple this afternoon, and your post brightened my day.

By: Jason

Jason — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:42:49 +0000

I disagree with the idea that the customer is always right, rather subscribe to the concept they customer thinks they are always right and we should give them what they want. Within limits of course.

I think the keyword here in this article is boundaries, setting policies is a great idea, however flexibility within those boundaries is also good.

Overall I think the above article is good, and I think the most important additions to this is conflict resolution and good communication.

By: The Week In Freelance: May 21st - The Freelance Rant

The Week In Freelance: May 21st - The Freelance Rant — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:53:51 +0000

[...] Worker Daily: Are you the nice type and get the occasional client that tries to walk all over you? Time to even the playing field.Mashable: Let’s be honest, most freelancers don’t have a serious budget when it comes [...]

By: Amber Singleton Riviere

Amber Singleton Riviere — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:25:31 +0000

It definitely goes against the grain, but I think life's too short to worry about working with clients who are trying to take advantage of us, who can never be pleased, or who we're not well-suited to serve. I'd rather work with clients who appreciate my work and the value I bring to their businesses. I do a better job that way, so everyone wins.

By: Nocturnal

Nocturnal — Fri, 21 May 2010 02:13:35 +0000

I really like this article but it seems to go against the grain. It still seems the common thought amongst "experts" is that the customer is always right, period, end of story, there is no the customer is wrong, ever. I'm unsure what action to take, please the client at all costs or get rid of toxic clients.