{"id":23232,"date":"2025-01-11T19:39:06","date_gmt":"2025-01-11T19:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/accounting\/your-business-your-rules-managing-difficult-clients-with-confidence\/"},"modified":"2025-01-11T19:39:06","modified_gmt":"2025-01-11T19:39:06","slug":"your-business-your-rules-managing-difficult-clients-with-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=23232","title":{"rendered":"Your business, your rules: managing difficult clients with confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Ever feel torn between wanting to fire a difficult client and worrying about losing their fees? You\u2019re not alone. The higher the fees, the harder it is to cut the cord. It\u2019s a classic accountant\u2019s dilemma\u2014and one worth addressing before it drains your energy and confidence.<\/p>\n

It is a topic that often comes up in my conversations with mentoring clients and we\u2019ve also discussed it in detail during a meeting of the Sole Practice Club<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sometimes there is a confidence issue. Perhaps you have been bullied by clients and made to feel that you are inadequate or incompetent. Or maybe you are simply unsure whether a client\u2019s demands are unreasonable. As a result you are uncertain whether to take action or to \u2018let it go\u2019 (again).<\/p>\n

Thank goodness that these days most people are more open about their mental health issues. None of us should feel obliged to keep acting for bullies, abusive or problematic clients. The longer you allow things to go on the greater the risks to your mental health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Are challenging clients worth the stress?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s face it, some clients just aren\u2019t worth the hassle.<\/p>\n

Maybe they\u2019re always late, demanding, or never follow your advice. Others might drag their feet when it\u2019s time to pay. Whatever the issue, it\u2019s often better to step back and ask: is this client adding value to my practice, or just to be stress levels?<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s not forget your self confidence. Have you ever felt bullied into thinking you\u2019re the problem? It\u2019s easy to doubt yourself, especially when a client\u2019s demands are relentless. But let\u2019s be clear: you don\u2019t have to put up with bullies or unreasonable behaviour. Life\u2019s too short, and your mental health matters.<\/p>\n

Trust your gut\u2014it rarely lies<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many accountants started out by taking on anyone and everyone as clients.\u00a0 Over time, you get better at spotting red flags and learning to trust your instincts.<\/p>\n

The more experienced you are the easier it becomes to avoid taking on clients set alarm bells ringing and who don\u2019t pass the \u2018gut\u2019 test. That\u2019s those where your gut tries to warn you off.<\/p>\n

Many is the time I have had accountants tell me that they struggle with some of their \u2018legacy\u2019 clients \u2013 who take liberties, do not respond promptly or who still act as if they have the power to get the accountant to do whatever the client demands.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a common mistake to stick to the old, incomplete, mantra that \u2018The customer is always right\u2019.<\/p>\n

This is not the full quote which is attributed to Gordon Selfridge. What he actually said was \u2018The customer is always right in matters of taste\u2019. That is very different to assuming that you as an expert must always do whatever your (less informed, less professional) client demands.<\/p>\n

That said, people can surprise you. Some difficult clients might change if you set clear boundaries and expectations. The question is: do you have the time and energy to invest in that process?<\/p>\n

Re-educate or disengage? The choice is yours<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing: It\u2019s your practice, your business and it\u2019s up to you to set the boundaries that suit you.<\/p>\n

Do you insist on clients following your advice? Sticking to your terms? Paying extra when they don\u2019t? If so, now\u2019s the perfect time to lay down the law. For example:
\u201cIn future, I may need to charge additional fees if issues arise because you haven\u2019t followed my advice.\u201d<\/p>\n

If clients can\u2019t\u2014or won\u2019t\u2014comply, it\u2019s time to disengage.<\/p>\n

The fee hike gambit (and its risks)<\/strong><\/p>\n

One popular strategy is to hike fees for clients you\u2019d rather not keep. The hope is they\u2019ll leave of their own accord. But here\u2019s a catch: some clients may accept the higher fees, leaving you stuck with a high-paying headache.<\/p>\n

I routinely hear that such clients who have previously been undercharged admit they were simply waiting for the accountant to increase their fees. In such cases I would still tend to insist that they also authorise new and regular Direct Debit payments \u2013 to prove their willingness to pay the new higher fees. You are perfectly entitled to make clear that this an essential term of doing business with your practice.<\/p>\n

Of course simply increasing the fees for difficult clients can also exacerbate the problem. If the client agrees to pay the higher fees, they may now become a high fee paying problem client \u2013 and one you may feel you really cannot afford to lose.<\/p>\n

My advice is to only use this approach if you would genuinely be happy to keep the client at the new fee level. If not, be honest with yourself\u2014and them. Let them know paying more isn\u2019t an option because you\u2019re parting ways.<\/p>\n

How to sack a client gracefully<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve decided to let a client go, do it with professionalism and clarity. Avoid accusations or inviting debate. Keep the focus on next steps. A disengagement letter might look something like this:
\u2013 Explain that you\u2019ve reviewed your client base and are focusing on specific types of clients.
\u2013 Mention that, as a result, they\u2019ll need to find a new adviser.
\u2013 Specify the last piece of work you\u2019ll complete and any deadlines.
\u2013 Offer to assist their new adviser and provide details they\u2019ll need to stay compliant.
\u2013 Suggest resources, like the Tax Advice Network<\/a> website to help them secure any specialist advice they might require<\/p>\n

It\u2019s okay to ask for help<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re struggling to navigate this tricky process, you\u2019re not alone. Many accountants I mentor use me as a sounding board, especially when it comes to sacking difficult clients. I can think of a number of occasions accountants have thanked me for helping them to unpack their thinking and to manage the \u2018sacking\u2019 of difficult clients.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, talking it through can help clarify your thoughts and build the confidence to take action.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to no-strings chat about how to address this or any other practice related issue, book a call with me now >>><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever feel torn between wanting to fire a difficult client and worrying about losing their fees? You\u2019re not alone. The higher the fees, the harder it is to cut the cord. It\u2019s a classic accountant\u2019s dilemma\u2014and one worth addressing before it drains your energy and confidence. It is a topic that often comes up in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11759],"tags":[907,11235,11695,15689,4410,11149],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-23232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accounting","tag-business","tag-clients","tag-confidence","tag-difficult","tag-managing","tag-rules"],"yoast_head":"\nYour business, your rules: managing difficult clients with confidence - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=23232\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your business, your rules: managing difficult clients with confidence - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ever feel torn between wanting to fire a difficult client and worrying about losing their fees? 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