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Work with difficult with customers. About customer focus, associates and mozkoklyuy

- There are no ugly women, there is little vodka
- I won't drink so much ...

Everyone who works directly with the customer has had to deal with the so-called. "Difficult" customers.
Let's try to figure out where they come from, are they really difficult, are they really difficult, who is to blame for what to do with them, and what should we, the performers, do.

We will define the terms and try to introduce some classification into possible types of relationships WE (Contractors) and CUSTOMERS (Customers).
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1. Companions (Comrades)


This is the perfect option. The client is very well versed in his field, clearly knows what he wants from the project, respects us as specialists in his field, listens to our opinion, respects our work, understands what he pays money for and, accordingly, is ready to pay decent money for decent job With interest relates to the ideas of the Contractor, he generates interesting ideas.
The performer, accordingly, respects the client, his money, and bla-bla-bla, all the same in response.
We unite efforts when working on a project: both to the left is our army, and to the right of us is our army!
This is what we should strive for, pulling other types of relationships in this direction.

How do we work?
Always be like that.

2. “Obedient Children” (“Obedient Patients”)


The client respects the knowledge and skills of the Contractor, is ready to be involved in the work as much as possible. He admits that he himself does not clearly understand what he wants, asks for help to formulate goals and objectives, is ready to devote time to his specialists (learn lessons, go to procedures). He understands that the Performer is not the Lord God, but only a good doctor, teacher, trainer, etc., and that the result of treatment, training, and training depends in many ways on himself.

How do we work?

Gradually grow / educate fellow.
We make sure that the obedient patient does not become frightened and does not move into another category.

What is needed for this? Attention, education, training.
There is a risk of corrupting a client during work and provoking him into unmotivated moods that you either have to fulfill or aggravate relations (even swearing) in order to reach a normal level of work.

3. “Shirkers” (“Naughty Patients”)



One of the most common types of relationships.
The client understands that the project is important for him, does not doubt the professionalism of the Contractor, and trusts him. But because of the heavy workload and constant distractions to even more important things in work, there are constant failures and delays. Negotiations can last for weeks. In this case, the Contractor is never transferred to the fault, the Customer agrees that, yes, he overlooked it, it did not prepare here. Well, oh well, somehow the project is still moving slowly in our country.

"Shirkers" often do not greatly respect the work of the Contractor. Respect, but not much.

This is how schoolchildren skip lessons, patients who constantly forget to take a pill. And those, and others, in general, understand that education is necessary, that you need to value your health. But somehow it does not add up. That one, then another.

The difficulty is that the Contractor dramatically increases the number and duration of switching: work on the project - pause - work on another project - again work on the first project. Accordingly, labor costs increase.

How do we work?
Patiently we work, we bring up, we try to bring relations to a higher level. Sometimes it happens.

To work with such clients, we have included the following clause in the standard contract:

In case of late submission of materials by the Customer, non-provision of authorized specialists, delay in terms of coordination on the implementation of the stages of work (design, etc.), the Contractor has the right to shift the deadlines for the work at its discretion. If the work is delayed due to the inconsistency of the Customer’s actions for more than two months, the Contractor has the right to stop work under this agreement. In this case, the Customer shall be refunded the amount of the advance payment minus the costs incurred by the Contractor.

The important point here is that we shift the deadlines at our discretion. Because we are busy with other works. We will wait when we will have another “window” for the resumption of work on this project.

4. “Moody Children” (“Moody Patients”)



The client does not understand and does not want to understand that his whims cost the Contractor many hours of additional work. (“Mom, buy me this doll. I don’t like this dress anymore, now buy me another one.” Mom needs to take money somewhere).

How do we work?
If the relationship went into this direction, it is urgent to bring them to another level.

EXAMPLE OF LIFE
Work on a rather long and complex project began with a pronounced cooperative relationship. From the Customer’s side, different specialists were connected to the project at different stages, depending on current tasks. At the design development stage, two girls were connected who were responsible for advertising, design, etc. in the Customer’s company. The artist was quite clearly assigned the task of designing the site. It was also clearly executed. Everyone liked everything, but the Customer asked to make another option. In the contract, meanwhile, it was indicated that the second version of the design is carried out only if the designer, as they say, “did not get”. Then the Customer should have provided a reasoned refusal, indicate what they don’t like, why they reject this option, and the Contractor then takes on the second, and even the third.

Since the work was carried out with passion, the Contractor took and executed the second design option without any reservations. And also good, and also everyone liked everything. And the girls from the customer are also fascinated by the process: “How great, but let's get the third option!”

There is already the Artist, having wiped the sweat from his forehead, slowly says, they say, probably enough already, let's define somehow with the design. Customer representatives in one voice: “We want the third option, want, want, want!” . In the end, representatives of the Customer were seriously mocked, they were told that they refused to work with such non-client-oriented managers. I had to arrange disassembly two directors. To the credit of both parties, since the mood was constructive, after an hour of negotiations, all the dots on “i” were placed. Mutual apologies were made, the work has once again returned to the mainstream of cooperation, and it still remains so.


5. Doubters.



The customer understands that in this matter he understands little, and that the Contractor knows much more than him.

It seems to be how he almost trusts the Contractor, but always keeps his ears open, confident that the Contractor can screw up somewhere. No, be sure to screw it up, even if not on purpose. No, somewhere he will deliberately charge or charge prices, because the Contractor knows that the Customer doesn’t understand anything in this matter, so for sure somewhere he must deceive us, but what will he live on? Etc.

How do we work?


It is necessary to destroy the doubts of the client. And the earlier and more, the better. And remembering the constantly emerging doubts of regularly undertaking preventive measures: compare options, talk about pitfalls, dispel fog. If this is not done, there will be constant delays, check-rechecks and clarify the relationship.

For such cases, we have prepared the phrase in the contract:
“The customer is aware of the level of quality, service and cost of services of the Contractor. This agreement was not concluded due to the lack of information of the Customer, ”it was borrowed from standard contracts under which banks give loans.

Another option is just not to work.
So the doctor does not work with the patient, if the patient does not trust him. The trainer does not work with a doubting athlete. If you come here - everything, relax and trust, otherwise there will be no work.

6. Master-Slave Relations



Alas, a fairly common option in our business culture. “I pay you money, it means it should be the way I want it. You are a sucker here, and with my money I give you the opportunity to live a little more, ”etc.

In this case, there is no respect for the Contractor as a specialist. On the contrary, for each minor slip, delay, defect, or just for the tone, the Contractor can be awarded with contempt: "You are not a professional."

By the way, one of my friends, the director of the restaurant, told me that they also have their own classification of clients. Remember how in the song: “who came to get drunk, who came to fight, who came to listen to the latest news”. So, in their classification was a whole "detachment" of those who go to a restaurant to mock the waiter. Yes, yes, it turns out there are such. Apparently, in this way they solve some of their internal complexes. How do people work in a restaurant with such clients? They assign specially trained waiters who have iron nerves and who understand everything and are included in this “game”. Right sado-maso some.

Well, it’s in a restaurant, they earn money on it, and how much these “clients” are needed by your company is up to you.

How do we work?


Better not to work.

EXAMPLE OF LIFE
That was a long time ago. We were approached by a woman - a marketer from one company. They had a website, but it was made back in the 90s, it is morally obsolete, we are not updated, we need a new one. The conversation, it seems, immediately went in the right way: goals, objectives, target audience, etc. etc. Casual and humorous, the woman told how she recently ordered a logo in one firm, and how she made 50 options, and how they do not know how to work at all, and showed these 50 options (among them were very good ones, I must say). Oh, how much later we remembered such "casual", thrown by this lady on a variety of topics. But we just ignored these signals.

As a result, after six months of work, I don’t remember how many design options we already began to think that we probably don’t really understand anything. Negotiations with the senior management gave only a temporary effect: we have already agreed on almost everything and decided everything, but then everything went round and round again - this woman was married to someone from the authorities. When the Customer said that since nothing is working out this way, let's stop the work, we happily stopped it. On the requirement to return the prepayment, we said with a clear conscience that this was out of the question: the work was done on three sites. They even tried to sue, but nothing happened.


The most important detail of this story - after four years already, the site of this company has not changed!

The question arises: did this lady need a website, did she need to solve some marketing problems? No, the process itself is interesting, nothing more. Another thing is that she herself may not be aware of this.

7. Special type. "Brain"



They very rarely order something, if ordered, then on a dime. But very often they turn to meticulous questions: “How much will it cost? And how best to do - so or so? And if so, when can you do it? But in another company I was told that it would cost so much, and how much do you have? And what is better for you, and why is it more expensive? ”, Etc., etc. Such people usually lack a sense of time, so they absolutely do not appreciate it, neither their own, nor the Contractor. It is not their fault, it is their misfortune.

How do we work?


We try to contact the customer’s company with another specialist. Perhaps with another person and the work will go very differently. (Most likely it will be so.) If it doesn’t work out, we bill for brainstorming, sorry, for consulting.

Extreme option - stop working.

EXAMPLE OF LIFE
We have been servicing the site of one company for a long time. They constantly received requests for all kinds of finishing work, alterations, amendments, banners, etc. At first, each alteration was discussed for a long time, then the cost of the work was agreed on for a very long time (the sums were around 1-2 thousand rubles), justifications were needed for the price and options for reducing installments. The maintenance of this company took from 5 to 20 hours of working time per month. The amount of work performed - from zero to 5 thousand rubles per month. Moreover, the replacement of managers by the Customer, leading the site, did not lead to anything - the work was carried out in exactly the same way. In the end, we just announced that negotiations on ICQ, telephone, etc. in this volume, we no longer hold, if you want - sign up for a paid consultation. And all the minor improvements on a prepaid basis.

The situation immediately returned to normal. Some small works are performed from time to time, but everything is rather operative and immediately for money.


To protect against the development of this type of relationship, we have prepared restrictions in our standard service contract: consultations no more than 1 hour per month, and then we have the right to issue an additional invoice for consulting, which the Customer undertakes to pay. If he does not pay, we naturally have the right to stop providing any services for this client.




This classification, like any other classification, does not pretend to be complete, but only gives some guidelines for diagnosing the situation and, accordingly, for taxiing in the right direction.

Findings.



Diagnostics of the client, forecasting the type of possible relationships with him are necessary even before he starts working with him, before signing the contract. Moreover, it is important that not only the Contractor understands with whom he is dealing, but also the Customer understands who he is dealing with and what to expect in the future. Indicate at the negotiation stage what he can expect from you and what he cannot. Ask provocative questions, tell stories from your practice.

How to diagnose? Just as in any other "industry".

For example, if a young man treats a girl with Coca-Cola, and that one responds: “No, I love Pepsi”. And when he comes running to her with Pepsi, she will say: “Foo, warm”. And from a butterfly fluttering around the butterfly, she will shy away: “She will pollute all the dress with her pollen to me”. It is difficult to predict how the future family life of this couple will be?

So here, for a few symptoms, you can see the possible development of further relationships.
To the phrase of a potential client, “It will be difficult to work with us,” you can proudly say: “And we are not afraid of difficulties!” And get a contract form. And you can ask: "In what case may there be difficulties? What do you mean by “hard work?”, Etc.
The less ambiguities in the first stage, the easier it will be for the Customer and the Contractor.

While working on a project, the type of relationship may vary. It is important to keep your finger on the pulse and adjust the relationship.

Behind any Customer (as well as the Contractor) are specific people. Their personal qualities, experience, life values, complexes - all this obviously affects the type of customer-customer relationship. Perhaps it is enough to go out to other people among the employees of the Client, switch the contact to another person to resolve the situation. It may be worth switching to work with this client of another manager from the Contractor’s company.

EXAMPLE OF LIFE
At the very beginning of work on one small project, we were faced with the fact that the manager on the part of the Customer shows the typical features of a “doubting brain-peck”. Attempts by our manager to translate relationships into a different direction have come to nothing.
Then, as director, I had to arrange a meeting with their director. All together, our two managers, two directors. They seriously talked, laid out the situation. I said that we should either trust us or stop working, and look for those you trust. Otherwise, we all just suffer.

Everyone understood everything. They themselves replaced the manager from the Customer’s side. Since then, we have been quietly and constructively interacting for more than three years.


At the same time, there are often cases when each representative of the Customer, the entire Customer, including all managers, directors, secretaries, drivers and doorman, behave in approximately the same way. This happens when a given behavior algorithm is assigned in a team as a group norm (there is such a term in psychology). Then switching from one employee to another will give little. Either continue to work, adjust, or say "goodbye." In our practice, there were three or four cases in which we refused to continue working with a specific Customer. So what? Horror, tragedy, we died of starvation? Not. It really became easier to work, there was more time to serve other customers and to attract new ones.

No need to sprinkle ashes on the head, if the relationship with a specific customer did not develop. The phrase “there are no bad people, but there are people for whom we lacked spiritual strength” sounds very nice, but definitely not enough for all-all spiritual strength. It is necessary to choose: we spend mental forces on promising ones, we take them as comrades-in-arms, on unpromising ones - if the forces remain; We try to bring them into perspective.

In each particular case, it is worth finding out where, at what stage the failure occurred, why we incorrectly diagnosed the client, and most importantly, how we provoked him to such and such actions. If there are our "shoals" - there is an opportunity for growth.

What is this song about.
Without efforts on both sides, and the Contractors, and Customers, civilized norms of relationships will not develop.
The most effective relationship of cooperation, collaboration is for both parties.
Let's work on it all together: the artists, and customers.
And further. And we think about what kind of relationship to us when we act as a Customer?

We do not consider marginal cases of the Contractor’s militant incompetence, inability to “listen and hear”, etc. in this article. This is a separate topic.

We believe that readers are all super pros (and here, after all, mostly those) who work in the still emerging web development market.




By the way.
Recently we received an invitation to participate in the tender.
What do you think, what type of relationship is targeted by the Customer, who announces such a tender? Names and surnames removed. Spelling and punctuation preserved.
Good day!
The Industrial Group ".........." announces a tender for the manufacture of the website www ... ... ... ... .ru.
The purpose of the tender - the definition of a contractor for the manufacture of the site. The tender will be held in two stages - from 03/03/2010 to 03/16/2010 (the time frame can be changed, both upwards and downwards). The winner is determined by the results of the second part of the tender. Participation in the tender is free.

To participate are invited companies and individuals operating in the territory of the Russian Federation. Requirements for participants: full agreement with the terms of the tender; strict adherence to the time frame established by the tender; a portfolio (at least 10 completed projects for large Russian or foreign enterprises for participating companies and 5 websites for individuals); the possibility of collecting recommendations from previous customers (orally or in writing); constant personal contact in the process of working on the site, coordination of all actions, work with the heads of departments to complete the site.

Purpose:
- give the user a general idea of ​​the company;
- maximum interest, to ensure repeat visits;
- Attracting additional customers and ensure memorability among visitors. The open part from 03/03/2010 to 03/10/2010.

After the public announcement of an open tender, we ask everyone to participate in it, send to the address tender @ ........... ru a presentation or press release about the company, which includes the following information: year of foundation and number of staff employees, technical base, customer list (with links to the created sites); contact persons in customer companies to collect recommendations. Price list (supposed to transfer the basic services provided by your company).

Please note that we do not enter into negotiations with the bidders for the duration of the open part. All additional questions you can send to the above address and we will answer them.

Closed part from 03/10/2010 to 03/16/2010. According to the results of the open part of the tender, no more than five winning companies will be selected. The names of the winning companies will be sent to all participants. A meeting will be held with each company to discuss the details of further work, draw up a technical assignment, determine deadlines and everything else that is necessary for work.

The companies participating in the closed part of the tender are preparing the following materials, at least three options for the design of the front page of the site, terms and stages of production, a detailed estimate, options for the technical solution of the tasks and proposed know-how, additional services.

According to the results of the closed part of the tender will be determined the winner, with whom the contract for the site is signed.

Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/87553/


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