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How to deal with a customer
who places undo demands on your time and abilities...
Some days I want to turn
off the phone. I've had more than one day of dealing with ditzy
customers who ask more than they should, and feel as if they
have a right to ask. Excuse me... This is my time!
You've probably had one or
two of these delightful customers walk into your business. They
come in with a big cheesy smile requesting your time, innocently
enough, the first time. You grant their requests, visualizing
better days to come, because they're just so pleasant. The
second time you see them coming, you do their bidding and smile
back, knowing that you're building a rapport that can't be beat!
It's going to pay you back in the long run.
Then they appear on the
horizon the third time. You begin to see the distant motives,
through that cheesy grin, you see only a give me attitude. The
person is BRILLIANT! They actually have talent you've dreamed
of, and could be offering a lot to society in general. But the
victimology behind their cheesy grin is a glaring reality. You
dodge the visit on your way out the door to a perceived
emergency, only to find them waiting when you return.
When they appear for the
forth time, you gasp in frustration and answer their questions
fast, because you know they'll be back, again and again, until
you do. You may even avoid by referring them to someone else. It
won't work, they've found a sucker and they'll be back.
The fifth time this
customer appears, you know you've got a problem. But you're
beyond knowing what to do with it. The boundaries have been
breeched. You've already given them your services, they don't
have a clue that you're working for PAY, you actually have
benefited from this customer and you feel guilty turning them
down. They've given you numerous recommendations. But you resent
their presence in your life, because they just seem so needy and
demanding.
Relax.
You do have a solution in
your hands.
A heart-to-heart talk will
help. But honestly, you're going to be the giver for the rest of
the relationship. They gave you just enough to get you moving
their direction and they'll keep you moving in that same
direction as long as they can keep you going there.
Stop batting your head
against the wall and start setting boundaries.
I can help you on Tuesday,
at 4 PM. Meet me at the office. Tell them up front that you only
have twenty minutes (take your coffee cup and have something
scheduled immediately after their appointment). When their
twenty minutes is up (it really was your coffee break time) you
have to go. Get up, usher this wonderful client out the door and
go.
Once you've begun to set
your boundaries again, you can actually get control of the
situation and moe it back to the realm of client relationship.
Victimology ceases to work on you. Resentment fades (you can
spare a coffee break). And Life becomes normal again.
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