When is it ok to fire customers and how best can you do it?
If a customer is rude and or abusive to your staff, does not appreciate the value you’re offering and makes unreasonable demands that take your focus off your happy customers, then you might probably want to cut them off. Not every troublesome customer must be let go off, but some customers expect you to go outside what you’re comfortable offering and don’t find value in your service. Letting go of such customers helps you to focus on your happy customers, so you can serve them better.
Here are a few tips for dealing with such customers
Apologise
You can apologise for not being the right service for them or being unable to meet their needs. Apologies have a way of turning situations around and stalling any further issues that may come up.
Offer a refund
You’re better off giving back the customer’s money even when you feel it’s undeserved. This could go a long way to actually help your reputation and keep a potential bad mouthing client quiet.
Suggest an alternative service
You might want to suggest another service provider (even your competitor) who might be better placed at meeting the needs of this customer and also offer to help them migrate as smoothly as possible.
Going the extra mile even when “firing” a customer can have long term benefits. They might come back with a different outlook in the future or refer you to others because of how you treated them.
How have you fired customers in the past? Share with us how you did it
Credit: Servled
