How to deal with tricky clients?

[oscarmike]

Asking for advice really. Newly promoted and in a quite senior corporate role. I’m having trouble dealing with some clients thinking it’s ok to be endlessly rude and dump on us, and I suppose what I’m after is any insight into how to cope + suggestions on how to (politely) push back. I’m not a very assertive person so it’s tough.

my job is a type of consultancy and I’m run off my feet with more than twice as many clients as some of my peers. My head of office is away, one of my closest colleagues on a tricky account is also away, we have a new joiner and I’m recruiting.

today the tricky client kicked off totally unwarrantedly, but also really rudely, essentially accusing us of not doing the work and failing to meet “what they would expect of consultants”, then conceding we had done the work but it wasn’t exactly organised as they wanted. I am of course happy to organise it however they like, but a) I don’t expect them to kick off with no warning — and many of the things they said were flat out wrong and b) some of the things they followed up to demand are things that I genuinely would not advise they do, and which I think will be a waste of hours when we already overservice.

what should I do? Does anyone have any advice for how to lower my blood pressure? Genuinely feeling very anxious and under pressure, and not sure whether to chalk it up to a bad day and ecosystem where everyone blames their consultants, or to try to push back on some of the demands they’re now making. Thanks in advance for any tips

Push back. In my experience, with tricky people it’s really the only thing you can do because they won’t respect you if you don’t. As a consultant they have to trust your advice and if they don’t respect you they won’t.

Thank them for their email, and thank them specifically for ‘their understanding - I appreciate you acknowledging that we’ve done X, Y, Z’. Set out (briefly) why you think particular things won’t work. Suggest a meeting/zoom/call to discuss strategy. If they take you up on the meeting be clear to them that they pay for your wisdom, and micromanaging how you do the work is not helpful to either party - acknowledge that it can be difficult to relinquish control over the details but they’re paying for your services, which you decide operationally how to deliver, rather than directing an employee. Say it with a smile and humour.

Separately, if you’ve got too many clients compared to your peers have a chat with someone about workload.

Also, a mental bingo card of crazy client demands can help you feel sane. Remember it’s very rarely personal.

Thanks @NoSquirrels. I am going insane. She is being really horrible still in an exceptionally uncalled for way

You can call that out. Politely but firmly.

People who play nice get good service. People who do not will find out why it is worth their while to play nicely.

Bite back. Imagine you are talking to a gobby 10 year old. Tell them firmly to stop speaking to you like that, it is uncalled for and unacceptable. You do not tolerate verbal abuse of your staff.