Nightmare client - how would you end this

[Sianholby]

So in a nutshell, I took on a new client about 3 months ago and they are a nightmare to work with. Another client recommended me so I thought, why not. For background I am a freelance Project Manager.
This new client micromanages like I’m a new starter, conference calls for everything despite me being in my industry and profession for over 25 years.
They are the least paying client but taking up most of my time, call after call, amendment after amendment, rewrite after rewrite, changing plans last minute and to top it off they are late payers - still haven’t been paid for a presentation I wrote for them in April and May.
My feeling is to dump them as they are draining my time and I’m starting to neglect my other long term clients as this company seems to think they are priority. Is it worth it, they never pay on time, the company are disorganised and overbearing.
What would you do - end the working relationship?

Absolutely end it before your business is impacted any further.

Be totally honest about WHY.

Yeah, definitely get rid. Free up some time for clients that really appreciate what you do - and are willing to pay you on time.

how do you charge them? for your time or a flat rate?
Work out what your time is worth, convert that into hours for how much you're charging them, then tell them all the calls are eating into your project time and it won't be finished if it carries on?

Fellow Freelancer here.
I would have dumped them as soon as payment due didn't come, never mind the other stuff.
Do you need to give notice?
Whatever the case do it as professionally as possible, so just say you can't provide the service they need and then don't get into it with them

Have tried to put any boundaries in place eg. that you will only respond to them once a day, or whatever an appropriate time period is. If they don't comply then I would end it.
I hope you charge them extra for changes to the brief.

I'd be brutally honest. And put it in writing. Explain they are impacting other clients who pay more and that you don't wish to continue. Be professional but blunt, clear and concise.

Sadly, some clients believe that they are the only customer you have, that you think about their job 24/7 and they are vital to your business. You need to walk now before you effect your other work

If you dump them does that mean kiss goodbye to the money they owe you for the work you've already done for them?
If so, is it worth it to hang on and keep chasing them for the cash? (And then dump...)

Leave the bastard client

Say you can't take on any new projects from them until they pay for all previous work done. Then once they've paid up, either decline new work because your schedule is too busy, or provide a ridiculously high quote so they'll look elsewhere.

Well providing the OP has sufficient evidence that they owe her money, then if they don't pay she can take them to the small claims court, so that's no reason to hang on to them until they pay.

In the mean time not answering the phone and being very slow to respond to emails might be worthwhile.

I would simply advise there is a hold on further work until their account is up to date. I assume you were clear about payment terms and that they know payment for work from April May is outstanding, make sure you are fully billed up to date. That is the answer to every query. When your bill is paid , then i'd just terminate, if you feel you need to have an excuse, just say you don't have time to take on further projects. What i would not do is waste your time and effort setting out why. it's not like they will say we are a nightmare and we won't do it again. they won't become super organised suddenly. They will believe what the are doing is right it's their business and they have the right to stay on top of any freelance workers, you don't have the time for this, you are wasting more time chasing payments , there is no scope for discussion.

Come on OP, as a project manager, this should be relatively straightforward!

Ask for immediate payment of the overdue invoice, suggest that extra fees will be payable for late payment if they do not pay immediately (this is legal - HMRC have guidelines), and these will increase with time, and stop all work until they pay up. You can say it all politely.

At that point I would say that you are unable to continue working with them, no excuses. If you need to, arrange a file with all the work done so far and handover notes!

No pay no work surely.

So it’s a flat fee for each project. Which means by the time they have called me 10 times about one slide deck, it feels like I am working for pennies per hour

I have coached Freelancers and my advice on working for free is to imagine yourself taking the money you should have charged out of your bank and just handing it to the Client instead of doing the work.
If you wouldn't do that then don't work for free

Dump them! It’s always the least money you earn that is the hardest client to work with. I dumped a client that were micromanaging me (six directors and board members each commenting on fonts ffs) and I swear I felt like I’d gone part time it was such a relief to see that back of them.

Have you tried communicating with them about the issues?

Was in a similar situation - particular bug bear was checking up on whether certain things had been done all the time.
After explaining that normally most clients know that a professional would do this and only report if there was a problem and wouldn't expect blow by blow accounts of what was done, things improved.

They just may not be familiar with the industry and the 'normal' client behaviour.

Absolutely ditch them and move on

I do very different work but had a customer who's demands were very time consuming & I did exactly the same work for many other customers who expected far less. I was a bit too soft to challenge if I'm honest but I just made sure I was too 'busy' to take on anymore work & they did relentlessly keep asking me (making me suspicious that they maybe couldn't get anyone else to take on the work due to their demands) BUT they eventually stopped asking. Phew

I would EITHER say 'I am sorry but I am fully booked for the foreseeable' or put them onto an hourly rate and charge them for the time they use.

PP have given good advice OP but I also think your business practices need a review. A flat fee for project management is very low. Things always crop up and need to be dealt with, etc I have no idea how you've managed to survive so far!
You also need clear terms of business regarding amendments, timescales, payment , your right to terminate etc.
See a small business advisor if you need help with all this.

I’d end the working relationship.

get rid life s to short someone else will be along

You really, really need to learn when to fire a client, and it should have been ages ago with this one. Knowing when to ditch a bad client is probably one of the top three most important things to know when you're a freelancer.

Send them an email saying that you will no longer be able to service their account and best of luck to them. Short and sweet, no discussion or debate necessary.

I’d give them notice, depending on how long the project is for. If it’s ending imminently I’d say no to any further projects.

If they ask, tell them that it’s financially unviable to have the smallest/lowest paid projects requiring the majority of your time and you will be concentrating on other clients.