Anyone come across a disrespectful client that essentially belittles your previous work but wants your help with their project? Advice?
I had a recent phone call with a potential client that works within the same sector as a really good company & regular client of mine.
On the call, they basically dumped on the work that the other company puts out, knowing full well that I produced it, but still wants my help. And they poorly attempted to be polite about it all.
Do you bother giving them the time of day? Is it worth it just for a one off project?
Replies18
- Hey @Charlie Pennell , glad to be of help.
- @Matt Percival Excellent insight Matt, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate that!As you say, definitely a bit of a unique situation as the organisation is linked with another organisation that I continue to do work for and have outstanding projects with. I believe there's no worries about ruining relationships with the other company as they couldn't be more pleased with all the current projects and they compeltey trust me. It is, unfortunately just this person that, as yourself and others have said, maybe isn't great at articulating what they want or decides that back-handed compliments are a good thing. Odd.I absolutely understand that clients from the output aren't there to be friends. I've been fortunate for the most part work with some really great people and brands.I beleive that if I wasn't already aware of how this individual was or they weren't linked in anyway and were a completely new outside client, then I may have already dismissed it. Because as mentioned, I have a lot of on-going work right now and this would be far from a make or break long-term project. It's 1-2 days work max and I'm comfortable with all the circumstances that I may express that I'm not the professional for them.Again, thank you for the advice. It will be beneficial in the future as well I'm sure!
- @Jay Hepburn Thank you so much Jay, really sound advice. As mentioned, I think part of it was they weren't particularly great at getting their point across or articulating creatively. But as I've said to others, they're well known to be upbrupt and unnecessarily rude.I totally agree with you that projects are a collaboration and I always am big on making sure that clients are felt like they're as much part of it as I am when producing work. Will be sure to take your feedback on board and more than likely respectfully decline as it's far from a make or break project and I already have a lot on. Thank you again! :)
- @Nas Abraham Really appreciate the insight Nas. Very helpful and I agree with the points you've made. I've certainly no problems with treating certain projects as transactions if really necessary, depsite that being a far stretch from how I usually go about business.But as I've mentioned, I know this person and have had prior connections to them via the other organisation their associated wth, so it's not unexpected to receive such upbruptness on this occassion.It's definitely not a make or break client or a massive proejct that's gonna change month let alone year so, I'm on the verge of siding with moving on and expressing I'm not the right professional for them. :)Again, thank you for the advice!
- Hi Charlie, I agree with all the good advice that has already been given. I would suggest you talk to the client in question to get an understanding of the brief and their expectation. It may be that this client does not want the same execution/direction as your regular client. Maybe they're not very good at articulating exactly what they want but this may not necessarily be a slur on your work.From an initial discussion you will be able to make a decision on whether this is someone you can work with. If they're not, you can tell them that you don't feel you're the right person for this particular brief.Venturing into any project is a partnership, it's a collaboration and there needs to be mutual respect on both sides. Clients can be difficult but fundamentally they have to be on board and believe in you as a business and the work that you create. If there is doubt then respectfully walk away.
- Hi Charlie, the first thing I would say here is always rise above. That means taking a breath before replying on full steam. Step back and truly evaluate the situation. It might not hurt to point out that it was your work too in order to gauge the room.You will always face difficult clients and challenging personalities. However, if you feel that they are toxic to a point where your wellbeing is at risk over the professional (and financial) reward, politely walk away. It’s all about your boundaries.
- Hi Charlie,on the top of things already been said keep always in your head that 'Business is business'. You should never put your ego into your way. In this situation if you know you did a good job in your part than really should not care about for a second what is some people opinion about it expect if they come from agenuine place.Hope it helps feel free to connect here and on https://www.instagram.com/annadoralascsik/
- Hello Charlie, lots of good advice already here that I would echo. However, your response to @Gavin Kemp revealed you have a very particular scenario of the company's being linked, so its's worth weighing up if whether a politely negative response to this person, or working with them, could have adverse implications on your continuing good relationships with the other business. Especially if they are so obviously happy to shoot from the mouth.Remember, you're having these conversations because they want to work with you. Without knowing everything that was said, or the full context, you may want to take this job on the chin and, if so, consider the good advice of @Ellie Stiles , @Anna Negrini and @Nas Abraham: Are they simply an ill-mannered and inarticulate communicator who finds it easier to identify what they don't like rather than what they do.Sadly clients that try to narrow what they want by dismissing what they don't are not that uncommon. Understanding this behaviour and having the patience to get them to articulate what they do like or want will reveal what they like about the prospect of working with you and what their expectations are, despite their initial opinions of the work previously done. And if you're remotely unsure, given how freely they dismiss it, do explicitly ask whether they are aware the work was yours.Not every client will be your friend, or be someone you would choose as a friend, but dismissing the opportunity to work with them can close the door to some powerful people and great work. Learning how to help difficult clients without compromising your integrity or the quality of your work will take the emotional sting out of poorly expressed feedback and – because they're out there in their droves – give you invaluable experience in anticipating their needs better. Once you can do that, you can remove the dread of dealing with them and just regard them as 'slightly more challenging' – more often than not, they understand their own shortcomings and you'll make yourself indispensible.
- I think it’s good to asses the situation as well as your own situation properly in terms of looking where you’re at. How’s your income this month? Can you afford to drop a client based on something they said? I often find when something like this goes sour it’s wiser to just cut yourself off from them emotionally and treat it like a transaction of services for money. Of course this should never change the quality of the work you do, everything you do is attached to the name, but to protect your mental health, know that they are not your friends, they are your client. I would say unless the process is damaging to your mental health, do the work, get paid, which will then allow you to do the things you want to do in the future.
- @Ellie Stiles That's a good insight Ellie, I appreciate your repsonse. It may have been that way, I agree as said before that maybe they aren't articulate enough to get the true point across. Unfortuntatly, this person is known to act in this manner.Appreciate all the replies!Currently undecided as the ball's in my court to either to send a quote or leave it entirely.
- Sometimes it's that they don't have the creative vocabulary to say 'I don't like that, can we go somewhere different with our work' but a lot of the time it's a red flag- so I'd make sure I have contracts set and good, and keep neutral if they bring that kind of thing up. I wouldn't want it getting back to myy clients that I agreed the content was boring
- @Gavin Kemp Absolutely Gavin! I'm naturally a laid back, take-it-in-my-stride kind of person. So when I heard it over the phone, I was polite and almost nonchalant about what they said.As I say in repsonse to Anna, the companys are intertwined and personel know each other. And based on the other companys colleagues, this isn't out of character for this person, I just hadn't personally expereinced it before so was looking for some insight and guidance. :)
- @Anna Negrini The companys are intertwined as they're both similar organisations, so many personel know each other. The way it was put to me was that this particular person found the companys preious work "boring". I think you've made a reasonable point Anna, that they didn't like the strategy but they didn't have the repsect or knowledge to respond correctly. Not the first time either by them.
- @Anna Negrini that's a very good call!
- Did they articulate their dislike for the other company's work? I have been in a similar situation and I asked them the reason why they wanted to work with me after all and it turned out they didn't like the strategy behind it but they thought my work was good!
- I will always be polite to people, I never ignore people, with someone like that I wil be very polite and thank them for their enquiry and simply tell them that I feel that I'm not the photographer for them so can't take the work on. That way they don't have a route back to push you to do it, you can keep saying no for as long as you need to - don't give an explaination beyond that, it's not their business.
- In my experience if someone is giving you negative vibes it says a lot about them and you got to ask yourself if a *job* is worth taking that negative energy on. Because if they’ve done it to someone else they’ll do it to you
- Not a good start to a relationship... ask yourself if you really think it’s worth working with people you don’t respect. There’s no future in that...
You must sign up or log in before you
add a comment.