Thursday, February 17th, 2022
Difficult Clients
“The way to get rich is don’t get sucked into doing dumb stuff for people you don’t like.” – David Maister
I remember when I heard David Maister expand on this theme in one of his presentations years ago. What is sad to me is that CPAs are still providing services to people they do not like or even trust.
I think it is time to revisit this type of thinking.
- If you dread a phone call from a certain client.
- If a client is continually a collection problem.
- If a client is price sensitive and doesn’t seem to recognize your value.
- If a client is rude, grumpy and even somewhat abusive.
- If you don’t have the same values and morals as your client.
It’s time to eliminate some stress and make your life more enjoyable.
No matter how much money they pay you, is it really worth it? Seek out and accept new clients who are pleasant, polite, knowledgeable, and seem to be someone you wouldn’t mind spending time with. Seek out and accept new clients who are in an industry or service line that you enjoy serving. Read Maister’s quote, above, again.
- "If your clients aren't actively telling their friends about you, maybe your work isn't as great as you think it is."
