A bitter ex client is damaging my business

[stirling]

Hello,

Any advice greatly appreciated.
I run a little teaching business in my local area that's entirely run on word of mouth.

I've just found out that an ex client, who was disgruntled because I'd given her some educational advice about her son that she didn't agree with... Is now (3 years later) badmouthing me at the school gates and a couple of potential clients have "changed their minds" according to what she's said.

Appreciate that this is hearsay, as I haven't heard it directly from the potential clients themselves, but rather the friend who introduced them to me... But should I attempt to contact this miserable woman?

I had a distinct sense that she was always watching me with jealousy. Never had that feeling before but she had a strong disliking to me.

I know I shouldn't worry as I have so many parents whose children love my classes but since I switched to online, numbers have dropped and I feel vulnerable.

This sort of news makes me feel as if I have been punched in the guts.

Any thoughts?
Thank you

If she is expressing her honest opinion of you or your advice, there is nothing you can do about it. She is entitled to her opinion. However, if she is making factual allegations that are untrue, that is slander and you could potentially do something about it. However, that doesn't mean going down the legal route is a good idea. Taking action for slander could be more damaging than simply ignoring her.

What a horrible experience.

I'd think in stages about this. First, your business What about reaching out to another school(s) and doing a bit of networking or even advertising to spread your impact a bit and make your business less vulnerable?

Then this woman and how you feel about her. There may not be much you can do. You can't make everyone accept your advice. As time goes on, the people who listened to her may look at her children and wonder if the things she talked about were really such bad advice... and eventually, she won't be at the schoolgates any more. This is time limited.

Thirdly, you. You gave the advice you believed in at the time. Reflect on it - in writing. Woukd you do things differently now? Would you still give the same advice, would you word it differently, or would you do exactly the same? Make an action plan if there's anything to change, or if not then commit to reflect on a positive experience as well.

I don't really know legally what you could do but could you ask current clients to add feedback on a public forum (eg Facebook) to try and increase positive reviews?
Use feedback forms and ask for comments to use in marketing? (Make sure you ask permission to use comments in marketing)

Keep your head down, if you're still getting clients and enough money then I'd leave it. Her dc will leave school at some point and she won't then have the network to give this feedback to. If you can, try and ride it out. I think talking to her will just poke the hornets nest.

I'd also try and reach out to other areas rather than limiting yourself to one

Like a PP advised, if you have an online page ask your customers to kindly give you some good reviews, as most people check reviews before buying a product or service. But I would try and find out exactly what this woman is saying as depending on the content you could send her a message threatening to take legal action against her for slander- I’m sure then she’d soon pipe down.

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for the good advice. I can fully appreciate that leaving the matter alone until her dc leave the school will be the smart choice. The only problem is that her youngest is in year 3, so another four years (or just under) of this kind of damage.

PermanentTemporary those are good points to think over.

I've got to move forward and get with the times, I'm so technologically hopeless that I don't have a website or social media accounts!