Below are the comments I left on Dawn Rivers Baker’s blog a few days ago:
Dawn, I actually apply your points to “why I fire my clients.” We keep a squeaky clean client list because I get to choose to do business with people who:
(a) value what we do (since we’re good at it),
(b) understand and value the fact that we must work with clients who value what we do, and
(c) value what they do enough to pay me to teach them how to run their businesses smarter, more efficiently and more profitably.
A lot of people get skirmish when I talk about firing clients… especially when I’m talking to clients. But let me be honest, in this new global economy, our firm only has to do business with clients who meet the above three criteria. It’s wide open out there, and we choose to work with clients who value what we do. Value is one of the main reasons why we keep serving our clients.
You do a disservice to your clients when you DON’T fire the bad ones because you eventually provide poor service to those you don’t want to serve. Do yourself a favor (and your clients), let them go so they can get the service they crave elsewhere if in fact they don’t crave what you offer.
And I hope my current clients see that we value them so much that we are unwilling to allow dead weight to remain on our client list and hinder our service to the clients who value what we do.
Hear me good clients: I love to serve you, and I am willing to do all things necessary to continue providing the best service to you.
Hear me bad clients: your days are numbered (and the number is very small).
Got any “why I fire my clients” stories? Share them in the comments, would ya?
Tags: Fire Your Clients
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This is a hard learned practice that is very necessary. Early on in our business we seemed to go through various clients every 2-3 years due to deteriorating relationships and profit losses. The more this happened, the more our client relationship had improved. I think due to ours and our new clients expectations.
Our clients at present understand that we as service contractors need the ability to serve in a professional and responsible manner. We’ve had a few return to us with a different mind set of how to conduct their relationship with us. We are now able to pay our way properly and timely. We are invited to more interesting and profitable projects. Projects like, we replaced the only Seafood Research laboratory for the Food And Drug Administration that our country has, while not disrupting their on going function. Exclusive invitation to supply and install new basket ball goals for the Duke Blue Devils, along with some others. It’s a feeling of accomplishment. We have miles to go yet but I can say this, Jason and his band of associates are certainly making the journey much more enjoyable. Thanks guy’s. -
Pingback from Why I Fire My Clients | Ian P. Hines on May 10, 2009 at 9:37 pm
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Thanks guys for the comments. Jim, even as a specialty contractor, your focus on service is what makes your growing company successful!
and I appreciate the link back from Ian’s blog…
Thanks, Jason M. Blumer
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Pingback from 10 Reasons Why Your Business is Tanking « on June 3, 2009 at 8:33 am
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I couldn’t agree with you more. To me it is what I call “fine tuning” my target market and paying close attention to who takes up “my space”. There are investments that are long term that don’t produce right away but are worth it and then there are business deals/service that just drain. To me when you fire a client it just means that you feel not properly “aligned” with them. Being honest is not mean spirited (you are doing them and yourself a favor). It is uncomfortable but in the end it produces for everyone a chance to redirect in a more productive light. If you are looking at your business for the long run you MUST practice this. It is challenging though.
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Thanks for the input Julienne. I appreciate your insight, as usual. Thanks for reading!
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How does one find the Roth conversion articles that are apparently
posted on your blog? I came across your name/blog when reading
a Kiplinger’s article on Roth IRAs and the perennial quandry as to
when and/whether to convert to them.
Thanks much,
Howard S. Sample
Toledo -
Did my inquiry regarding Roth IRA conversions go through?
HSS
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Howard-
Here are the three links to the Roth conversion articles on our blog:
September 22 – Part I – http://bit.ly/3oPxST
September 29 – Part II – http://bit.ly/2aa5uR
October 6 – Part III – http://bit.ly/hHSo1
Thanks for reading!
Jason M. Blumer, CPA
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Pingback from · How to Find and Develop Great Clients on February 10, 2010 at 7:04 am
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I’m with you, Jason. We grade our clients on the following scale.
A – Our highest revenue clients that take advantage of every or nearly every service we offer. These are the top 20% that account for 80% of our revenue.
B – Clients that we think have the potential to become A clients in the next 12-24 months.
C – Clients that will never be A or B clients but we love them to death and our lives are richer because of the relationship.
D – Clients that regardless of revenue are difficult to work with or incompatible with our mission. After receiving a D rating we fire them within 90 days as gracefully and diplomatically as possible.
Like you, we discuss all of this with them before they become a client and it does a wonderful job of establishing mutual expectations. -
Awesome, Joey. Your insights match our experience. We do the D clients a favor when we release them to go “love” on someone else.
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