Doing "favors" as a business owner can sometimes work in your favor. But it can also come with a few risks. You could end up wasting valuable time or money, or even losing your (higher-paying) regular clients. Many people flat-out refuse to do work as a favor. Others chance it.
An engineer has told how he agreed to help a friend's in-laws with their home renovations. He'd been tipped off that the MIL could be quite difficult. But he totally underestimated her ability to make his job, and life, a living hell. The entitled woman treated him like a servant, snapping her fingers at him, and making difficult demands. When she went from "rude" to "incredibly hostile," the engineer decided to teach her a lesson in humility.
Having a rude and difficult client can test even the most patient person's limits
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But when that client is being charged a tenth of the usual price, it takes things to a whole new level
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"Know your boundaries and be consistent": advice from the business experts
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Not all clients are going to be a breeze to deal with. Some are just a downright difficult nightmare. But experts say, just because a client pays you does not mean you’re indebted to work on their timeline or be at their disposal. Know your boundaries and be consistent, advises virtual assistant platform Priority VA.
"If you hold every client to the same standard, it will be easier to hold your ground when one starts presenting ridiculous requests or being disrespectful," notes the site. The Priority VA team adds that it's important to have a plan in place for when a client pushes your boundaries.
"It’s easy to enforce this step if you already know what you are willing to put up with," they say. "We always believe in giving a client the opportunity to correct their behavior."
If a client's behavior doesn't align with your standards, expectations or values, let them know. If they continue to push your buttons, it's okay to walk away. "Not every client is a right-fit client," notes Priority VA. "Remember, their entitled behavior is not a reflection of your business, service offering, team or expertise."
Luis Congdon is the founder of digital marketing consulting company Thriving Launch. Congdon agrees that it's important to set clear boundaries and expectations from the start. The expert has had his fair share of doing "favors" for clients. Often, it didn't pay off.
"I used to give out favors to anyone I wanted to influence or make friends with," Congdon wrote. "Sometimes it helped me; other times, to my dismay, the person I helped saw it as a small favor when in fact it was a big thing for me."
Now that the business owner is wiser, he's dished out advice on how to go about doing favors without getting burnt. Congdon says if you're doing someone a favor, tell them how much it would normally cost. You can also tell them that you expect something in return at a later date. Be sure to get this all in writing before starting any work.
Favors are a form of currency, says Congdon. And people value what they pay for, even when it's a favor. The expert advises that you create some kind of 'payment' so that the client fully values your time and effort. "But if you don't create clear expectations, you could wind up thinking you're giving dollars worth of value when the other person just feels you're giving them pesos," warns Congdon.
"This is exactly how business is conducted": netizens praised the engineer for standing his ground
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