I’m a virtual assistant except that I often go to my client’s homes or workplace. I have a client who never gives me enough information to do the job properly & when I try to clarify what it is she needs doing, she makes me feel stupid for asking & speaks to me like I’m one of her children!

Whatever she wants, I know that what I do will never make her happy; I thought it was me at first but then realised that none of my other clients had any issues with my work & were actually delighted with my performance.

After receiving 3 calls on a Sunday before I was even dressed, I considered sacking her; she was undermining my confidence & clearly thought she was my only client & that I should drop everything to address her every whim. Luckily she is now on a business trip for 3 months & I’m going to try to keep her at arms length upon her return.

I was advised that just because I’m a new freelancer starting out, it doesn’t mean that I have to put up with unreasonable demands from a client.

Another type of clients (IMO) is the sheep type, which is perfect for Project Managers. The sheep type just wants to be led, and has perfect trust in the Project Manager (this trust is usually established over time, due to the hard work and transparency of the Project Manager). In order to maintain this sweet and convenient relationship, the Project Manager has to be honest and genuinely interested in the having the client succeed.

These profiles are great for helping me think about how I would approach these “natural beasts in the wild.”

I also think we too often try to do it our way when we deal with clients. In the end, I think it is important to make solutions fit comfortably with different clients’ personalities, culture, and attitudes.

We have a client who is, in a way pretty easy. We hardly hear from him and we do make attempts to check in with him at least once a week.

When we do hear back, he has not paid attention to the detail we have provided him. So we have to repeat and reteach, if you will, until he understands.

We have provided him with what he needs. In a way he’s a bean counter too. So we provide the numbers, and we also strive to go above and beyond that.

So in the case of this Slipshoded client who “also” does the disappearing act pretty well, yet who continues to pay us for the work we do, on time, should we be concerned or is there another way to better attend to him?

I’ve often told myself to enjoy this one because there is a day soon, just around the corner we may have to deal with someone who is difficult or better yet, fits the descriptions above you’ve posted.

So far we’ve been pretty lucky.

We care deeply about our clients, but how do you know when you’re caring too much?

We provide the results, they keep paying, no complaints thus far that are vital and cannot be fixed, but there is a lack of communication for this one.

We care so we get concerned, but I try to tell staff not to let it consume their day by getting overly concerned, because all we can do is continue to reach out. Although balance that so we don’t become annoying to him.

Any thoughts?

This was a great article. As a business owner I work with all types of customers and that’s just a part of customer service! I like how you have come up with names for all different types of people!

The Downwards Promotee: These are technically a subtype of Puppet (in the same way that the Little Empire Builder is a subtype of Silo-er), but they’re definitely on the bubble, and they’re being micromanaged from above only because any other tactic will cause the project to burn through its budget. These people are flat-out incompetent, and they survived long enough to work with you only because they were in a patron-client relationship that has since ended. If you discover that “WTF?!” has become a routine part of your internal dialogue, you’re probably working for one of these. Do not attempt to empower them, because that won’t work. Instead, get all (and I mean all) requirements in writing, and satisfy them as literally as you can. The point to such engagements is to let the rope by which the incompetent will hang themselves; the challenge is to recognize the M.O. through which the project is expected to miss its objectives, and play along without getting clobbered yourself.

…And there are three other types not mentioned here that justify vigilance:

The Wheeler-Dealer: where Bean Counters try to nickel-dime you after milestones, these guys will do it during the contract negotiation. They love scoring bargains, and they thrive on the competition that goes hand in hand with haggling. These prospects are masters at controlling the conversation, through brute force if necessary. Most importantly, they will say anything and everything they can to keep you off balance when you attempt to demonstrate the value of your product — and fool themselves into believing it. Only take these prospects on referral, or if you like them interpersonally and you’re feeling charitable… because even if the relationship achieves a satisfying rhythm, every “favor” will come with a price. If they cross a line, don’t be afraid to tell them that you’re placing higher value on their actions than on their words, because that’s exactly what you need to do to work successfully with this type of client.

The Little Empire Builder: This guy (or gal) is building a silo, but their mindset is more long-term. and their delegation/leadership skills are often much better. The danger with these prospects is not that the job will suck, but instead that their requirements of the product will cause the product itself to suck… because they’re not working for the success of the project or to serve customers, but rather to serve their own career goals. (Even cowboys down on the cube ranch can benefit from personal vision and goals.) You have two choices: either take the money and run, or grab onto those coattails and enjoy the ride. It’s up to you.

The Clueless Visionary: …If you start with Steve Jobs and subtract significant fractions of capital and leadership ability, the Clueless Visionary comes out in the difference. Even if they value your skills, they’re still prone to believe that their ideas are poorly misunderstood; their plan is to throw money and talent at a problem they perceive, and automagically profit from the solution they’re paying you to build. These prospects are trouble for two reasons: they’re prone to undercapitalization, and they rarely appreciate that of better, faster, and cheaper, you can only pick two. They need education, and lots of it. The key to dealing with these types is to stay goal-focussed; don’t worry about building masterpieces, worry about delivering product that meets business objectives at the lowest practicable level of capital investment. If the business plan’s worth anything at all, the masterpieces will come after reality proves the validity of the business plan.

ultimately, sometimes you just have to bite your tongue, grin and bear it and go back and forth more times than is necessary – eventually the client will tucker out (or feel content that their vision is realized) and you’ll have been able to get the project to where you want it.