50 Ways to Leave Your Client - morn or less - Brief Article

And how to have closure

We realize the heresy we're about to promulgate and the inherent danger in cutting off our noses to spite our faces. But as HRD professionals, we all have encountered far too many situations that begged for bold and courageous action when involved with a "bad" or inappropriate client. How can that happen?

No matter how careful we are to establish work relationships and partnerships and to scope a project and understand a client's needs and organizational culture, we frequently find ourselves at the mercy of the vagaries of a client's behavior. Given that these engagements are our livelihood, it can be difficult, not to mention costly, to terminate even if things aren't going well.

Much has been written in the customer service literature, such as by F.F. Reichheld and by W.H. Grant, about attracting the "right" type of customers and firing the ones that, for whatever reason, are financially and emotionally taxing to deal with. It's hard to justify the potential return-on-investment of such clients. Indeed, there's good evidence that so-called bad clients cost much more than they're worth. Organizations are counseled to focus on customers who not only want and appreciate help, but who are also willing to participate in the collaborative spirit required of a true partnership--the type of client--consultant relationship that almost always ensures a successful outcome. Such relationships serve as the basis for long-term, loyal customer interactions.

It's one thing to seek best customers proactively--that is, the ones most likely to work with you honestly and openly and with whom you can build trust. Such customers enable you to provide products and services of high value to them. That results in genuine, mutual appreciation. Consequently, such customers become loyal devotees of your products and services.

In building those relationships, you will have less time and thought to give to less attractive customers. But it's quite another thing to delete a client completely from your most-valued customer list.

We all know the costs, both financial and personal, associated with less than desirable provider-buyer relationships. Bad relationships can be draining in many ways, not the least of which is sapping our energies from addressing the needs of customers with whom we've developed strong relationships. We seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time with the problem customers. That's not to say that such relationships aren't two-way. We "own" our behavior and the way we interact with clients. But for the purpose of this discussion, we'll assume that we are behaving appropriately, and the clients are not.

When to let go

We would all probably agree that it isn't professional to decide to end a work engagement just because we don't like the way it's proceeding. We have to be clear that there is a justifiable reason for such action. Following is a list of reasons that might give some pause for concern and lead you to think seriously about "firing" a client.

Integrity issues. if you suspect a client of unethical or questionable practices, you would be justified in ending the relationship. Or if all project parameters have been agreed to and you begin to move ahead and you find you've been hired merely for show or to satisfy a court order (as once happened to one of us), it's time to bail. Clearly, there was no intent to fulfill the scope of the work agreed upon.

Or if you discover in the course of your work that one segment of the organization is working to undermine another segment, you will probably want to share that information and leave the project. No contract is worth having to support dysfunctional behavior.

Or when a client suggests openly that he or she deserves some type of personal remuneration for all of the work thrown your way, it's time to fold your tent and depart.

Professional issues. Unprofessional actions can be not providing you with all of the available information needed to complete the work successfully, or changing dates and commitments at the last minute so that you have to wait for another appointment or adjustment and you lose time and income.

Unprofessional can mean saying one thing to you when the work is being set up and expressing totally different expectations when you're in the middle of implementation.

Personal issues. There are situations in which the demands are unrealistic and interfere with completing the work. Some clients expect you to work on holidays and weekends, which most of us don't mind doing from time to time if the client is upfront about it. Or a client can require a scheduling change at the last minute because of a personal or family issue. Most of us don't mind those types of changes as long as they don't become routine. It's the repeated change for personal reasons that might cause you to think seriously about severing a client relationship.

Interpersonal issues. These can include disrespectful or inconsiderate actions. Recently, one of us worked with a successful company whose employees were rude--not just to the consultant but also to each other. They talked noticeably in the back of the room while people were making presentations and left in the middle of an important session or attended only one day of a three-day program. Such behavior can make you reconsider whether you want to work in such an environment, even temporarily and even as an outsider.

Then there's always the client with whom the interpersonal chemistry just doesn't work. It may be time to turn the work over to a colleague when you have a client who doesn't understand what you're saying, though you think you're being clear, or when you find that you think you understand what the client is saying but it turns out you've totally misread him or her.

Organizational issues. These involve an organization's culture and its political and dysfunctional practices, which are some of the most difficult factors for a consultant to identify early on and deal with. Such practices are usually ingrained so deeply that the client often doesn't think to mention them. The "You can't go directly to her!" information emerges after you've already set up a meeting with her.

How to let go

Assuming that you have determined a valid reason to quit a client, the question then becomes how do you do that when the relationship is already on its way south? And, more importantly, how do you do that in a professionally acceptable way that fosters closure and leaves few scars? Not an easy task. In fact, one might say that ending such an explicit relationship is itself unprofessional. However, we have some suggestions for how to go about this unpleasant task in a professional manner. Not that any one way will be the best solution, but perhaps a combination will work best, especially to save face for both you and your client.

Here are some approaches, depending on the situation you face:

* Say goodbye. Just say politely that you don't want to continue working on the project, finish up what you're currently working on, and make sure any remaining work is covered. If possible, offer several reputable consultants for your client to consider.

* Tell it like it is. Express your discontent, that you find the working conditions unacceptable, and that you believe it's in the best interests of the both of you to disengage immediately. Offer to help the client find someone to finish the work.

* Quit but stay. Resolve that you don't want to work for the client anymore, but finish up all of your commitments. Say nothing, and then sever the relationship.

* Leave without pay. Admirable, to say the least, but explain that you haven't done your best work because of problems with the relationship and you won't charge the full fee.

* Do whatever you're told. Keep working, don't raise any concerns, do whatever the client says, grin and bear it. Finish the project and never darken that client's door again.

* Bide your time. Become comfortable with your role in the situation, explore what part you have in contributing to it, finish the work, and learn from the lesson. But don't go back.

* Get into it. Confront the client with your concerns, stand up for your rights, and create a dialogue about the issues. Finish up what you're allowed to do, and then never see the client again.

"Good" clients

There are no doubt more positive client relationships than poor ones. In fact, most of us have been in situations in which we've wanted to quit but were able to work things out. Still, it never hurts to be prepared. So, how do you know when a client relationship or work engagement is headed down the tubes? What are the signals?

The characteristics of a highly productive client relationship, by contrast, can actually help point to the signs that a situation may be headed in the wrong direction. Here's what great clients look like:

* They want to learn from you. They ask questions, listen attentively, and take your suggestions. They believe in your expertise and are willing to work with you to achieve a goal.

* They have a point of view and express it openly. They let you know where they're "coming from" and why, and clue you in on their thoughts. If there are cultural or political hot buttons looming, they alert you and gladly tell you where they stand.

* They don't look for a way to upstage you. They see you as part of the team and build you up in front of colleagues.

* They don't have power-play needs. They're confident in themselves and in you. They hired you, trust you to produce the work they contracted for, and support you wholeheartedly.

* They seek and are open to new and different perspectives. They realize the power of many diverse ideas and how the whole is often greater than the sum of the parts. They value the diversity of thought that you bring to the table.

* They don't see the work engagement as either career-making or career-breaking. They realize that one project doesn't a career make, and they aren't on pins and needles watching every move you make.

* They've already figured out the value proposition for using your services. They don't continually require that you validate your worth. They recognize that you can help them become more successful by letting you do the work you've been contracted to do, in partnership with them.

* They accept that you don't have all of the answers. They recognize that while you have insight and experience, the collective wisdom of the two of you or you and a client project team is valuable.

* They respect your knowledge, skills, and experience. They appreciate your total background, which complements theirs. They share information, include you in meetings in which you get input for meassuring success, and test their ideas about current organizational issues with you regularly.

* They don't hold you hostage over your fees. They accept your honesty, agree to pay you what was contracted for, and don't take a nickel-and-dime microscope to every invoice you submit.

* They don't begrudge the fact that you have to charge for your services. They recognize that you're in business too, understand that you have expenses and have to make a living, and aren't envious of "all that money" you're making.

If you're finding it difficult to observe those favorable signs in your client relationship, it may be time to reconsider whether it's healthy to stay engaged. If none of those qualities is present, leaving your client may be the best thing to do for both of you. If only a few are present, you may want to discuss your concerns and needs with the client before going forward. If you think the relationship is salvageable, you will have to re-orchestrate it to make it mutually beneficial.

Despite the pain and difficulty of severing ties, in the end, everyone can win. The client wins when he or she realizes that there are better ways to work with a consultant. The client's organization wins because it wasn't getting the best work. Your other clients win because they weren't getting the proper attention they deserved while you were fretting over the difficult client. You win because you now feel relieved, relaxed, and renewed. You can resume a focus on clients with whom you have a true partnership.

Ending a client relationship requires an emotional reckoning. But in some situations, it's the appropriate course of action. It's important to do it in the most efficient and professional way possible. Be honest, share the data, never leave a client stranded, and depart as quickly as you can.

You might even want to share the "What a Great Client Looks Like" information with a client before starting a project. And, at the same time, ask the client to share his or her expectations of you and a great client-consultant relationship. If you clarify all expectations upfront, you may never again find yourself in the uncomfortable position of having to leave a client.

Stephen L. Cohen is managing director of Dove Consulting's Learning Design Group, a Minneapolis-based provider of custom learning systems and training solutions.

Carlene Rienhart is president of CLR Associates of Vienna, Virginia, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations focus on performance through the development of performance support systems.

Steve Cohen says that other than insomnia or his own snoring, what keeps him awake at night is how to stop putting so much time into it. He says that the last thing he learned is that to become an astronaut you have to have your appendix out. So he had his out recently. His next challenge: To survive skiing during Spring Break without any broken bones. (We think possibly he had a little fun with our questionnaire.)

Carlene Reinhart says that work-related stuff doesn't keep her awake much, adding that her biggest challenge is to stay challenged when she keeps running into the same problems company after company. "Too bad we can't find the '100 monkeys' answer for corporations. Instead of 100 monkeys, we have a million consultants!"

The Gist

* There can be benefits to you--and the client--for quitting a project that's not going well.

* Do an up front check of expectations to lessen the chances of things going wrong.

* If you have to sever a client relationship, be sure to offer options so the work won't be left hanging.

COPYRIGHT 2000 American Society for Training & Development, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group