Like in personal relationships, you can find in a client – supplier relation one of them being an ‘abuser’.
If the client is the one abusing, there are 2 options on the table for the supplier:
a. Fire the client
b. Find ways to deal with it
It is not as easy as it sounds and you have to take into consideration a few variables before deciding to ‘cut the cord’:
– The value of the project: how much the money you get (as a supplier) compensate all the trouble and abuse? If the value is high, maybe is worth it to find ways to cope with the situation… and hope the things will change 🙂
– How many people in your organization are affected by this?
– How much finding a solution and adapting to this situation will disrupt your business process?
Each business has to decide for itself the answers.
Examples of client being abusive:
- Feeling as if you are walking on egg shells
- Lack of communication
- Controlling and a “know it all” attitude
- Asking constantly for work outside the scope of the project
- Not paying on time (regularly) or not paying at all
Here are a few examples of a supplier being abusive with the client(s):
- Not taking into consideration client’s needs
- Diminishing client’s value and worth
- Lack of communication
- Controlling and a “know it all” attitude
- Taking advantage (usually charging too much for too little)
More particular to online marketing:
- Overcharging
- No Analytics on the website (and there are marketing campaigns running) and no reliable system to register the source of the
leads/clients) - Basic click-to-call or click-to-email setups NOT done
The paradox: a client in this situation used our website analysis and the recommendations to get back to the ‘abuser’ and ‘negotiate’ a better deal after agreeing with all the aspects we discovered, appreciating the pro-activity and the professionalism and telling us is just a matter of choosing the budget and we will move on together.
It happens. But I feel for them. They might spend less then before, but they are working with the same not committed and not pro-active supplier as before.
How long will take for them to get to the same conclusion?
Wishing them all the best!
Octavian Nastase @KEY27 – Serving Your Business Online
conversion optimization expert
We are in the business of Growing Your Business through Internet Marketing
About the author:
Octavian Nastase is passionate about internet marketing and he is the KEY27’s website conversion optimization specialist. With over a decade of experience in the field, he has helped businesses getting more clients from the online world and convert more of their website visitors into customers. Octavian is known for his creative approach to solving problems and his ability to break down complex concepts into simple, actionable steps. In his free time, Octavian enjoys reading, traveling, and being part of his children’s lives.
If you’re looking for someone who can help you get the most out of your website, Octavian is the person you want to work with.
