In your relationship with customers, it gets to a time when you may need to get rid of a client politely.
The reasons for this are not far-fetched.
One of the major goals of any revenue-generating business, company, or organization is to acquire as many clients as possible.
This is all because customers are the backbones and pillars on which businesses are built upon.
They help businesses or companies to make a profit.
Also, they provide feedback and information that allows your business to improve and upgrade its services/products in certain areas.
Additionally, clients help businesses reach out to more potential clients by word-of-mouth (recommendations, referrals, and telling people about their experience with your products/services).
Thereby helping your business to strive and survive in the very competitive market.
However, sometimes, you might find out that some clients do not benefit your business in any way.
When such happens, you will need to make a tough decision.
You have to do so for your benefit.
Also, for your staff/team members, and most importantly, for the future of your business.
This decision involves politely letting go or getting rid of a client.
What does it Mean to Get Rid of a Client Politely?
Getting rid of clients is the process of courteously removing unwanted and problematic clients from your business’s clientele.
It is also a conscious decision made by a business to employ professional tactics and methods to inform a client that you no longer wish to offer your services or products to them.
This is due to the difficulties and challenges you constantly experience by working with them.
Getting rid of a client is not a decision to make in haste or after any challenge you face with the client.
Rather, you should think thoroughly to identify the best way to get rid of the difficult client politely.
Above all, it should be your last resort.
That is, after various attempts to foster a good customer or client relationship between the business and the client, all to no avail.
Reasons Why you Should Get Rid of Some Clients Politely
Getting rid of a customer like we earlier stated might be very difficult.
This is true, especially because of its implications on your finances.
However, considering all the risks and difficulties your business stands to face with them onboard, your best resolve might be to let them go after all.
Some of these reasons to politely get rid of a customer are:
Effect on Finances
One of the first reasons you should politely get rid of a client is if doing business with such clients negatively affects your business finances.
Every business aims to generate revenue and profit, so they offer products and services in exchange for it.
However, when a client is starting to cause you more expenses than profit, you should consider letting them go.
Clients’ Needs are not in Tune with your Business
Over time, you might discover that some of your client’s needs and requests are not in line with what your business stands offers.
In such a situation, you might have to let them go.
Even more, you could refer them to other businesses that can meet their specific needs.
This is to avoid having dissatisfied customers continually, which can be very bad for your business.
Customers Demanding More for Less
The saying that clients not only patronize business for their products and services, but their value is right.
However, sometimes clients abuse this by demanding more from a business after paying less.
When a client begins to make demands and expectations beyond their money’s worth, your business might experience some difficulties because of that.
No Respect for Policies and Guidelines
Clients who feel that your policies and guidelines do not apply to them or do not count would prove very difficult to handle.
Likewise, such clients would not want to take responsibility for mistakes that happen due to them not adhering to your policies and guidelines.
Thereby causing a lot of trouble for you and your staff members.
It also makes it very difficult for you to do business with them.
Stubbornly Refusing to Acknowledge your Business
Sometimes, some clients constantly have nothing good to say about your business to you or other people.
This is regardless of how good your products, services, and customer relationships are.
Hence you have to stop doing business with such clients by getting rid of them politely.
This is because a negative word or review will tarnish your business’s brand and reputation.
It could also make you lose pre-existing and potential clients.
Constant Verbally Abusive Customers
You should also politely get rid of clients who are verbally abusive towards you and your staff.
Any form of abuse whatsoever is wrong and has negative psychological impacts on the constantly being abuse person.
In this case, it could be you or your staff members.
Team or staff members who are constantly verbally abused will gradually lose their passion and enthusiasm for their jobs.
More so, clients who are rude and abusive sometimes result in physical abuse.
That is the last thing you would want for your business as it could make you lose high-potential and efficient employees.
As a result, harming productivity and efficiency in your business.
Type of Clients that you Need to Get Rid of Politely
You can identify difficult or problematic clients by their frequent behavior patterns.
Hence, here are the various types of clients you should look out for.
This is so that you’ll know the clients you need to get rid of in your business politely.
Abusive Client
Abuse clients do not only affect your finances.
They are the type of clients who affect your mental health.
They often feel the need to use verbal languages that are harsh, insulting, degrading, and threatening while doing business with you.
Abusive clients also often tend to get physical by lifting their hands on your team members.
Overall, such clients can make your business environment very uncomfortable for your employees and other clients.
Hence the need to politely get rid of them.
A Confused Client
A confused client is someone who has no clear definition of what he/she wants.
Such clients can also be identified as clients who are yet to figure out what they want and how your business helps them satisfy their needs.
There are certain ways businesses can try to manage such situations where they have a confused client.
However, it is not always applicable or successful with some confused clients.
Some confused clients can be quite frustrating and tiring to deal with.
This is because it’s difficult to understand their needs and how best to meet those needs.
More so, figuring out what such clients’ needs are maybe time and energy-consuming.
It may also result in wasted efforts if it is not what the client wants.
Thus leading to dissatisfied clients and wasted resources (time and energy).
Hence working with such clients is pointless; you have to get rid of them politely.
An Adamant Client
An adamant client hires you to do something for them but does not necessarily allow you to do what they hired you for.
Such a client is not open to ideas and suggestions that a business makes to them.
Also, they are not open to new trends and innovations.
They do not allow the person they hired to do their job the best way they know how to.
Most of the time, it just had to be by their terms, conditions, and options made by them.
Working with an adamant client is one of the most difficult things to do.
This is because they want to control your every move.
Thereby preventing you from doing your work effectively and leading to poor quality work/results.
An Inconsiderate Client
Inconsiderate clients are also difficult to handle.
They expect you to deliver on your side of the bargain.
However, they are not understanding and thoughtful.
These types of clients often tend to take advantage of businesses.
They expect you to give them the best of your time, services, and product but refuse to pay on the due date and time.
Sometimes, these clients do not only miss pay dates, but they also underpay and owe your business.
When a client starts owing your business or delaying their payment, they are forcing you to use your profits to keep your business going and running, which is not always the best.
Therefore, you need to get rid of such clients politely.
Unresponsive Clients
Every business aims to ensure that its customers are happy and satisfied with its products and services.
Most of the time, this satisfaction is achieved through effective communication that allows you to understand the clients, needs, and expectations.
However, if you come across a client who makes communication very difficult for you, you might never be able to give them the best results.
This is because they do not create room for communication or respond when you try to reach out to them via emails, phone calls, or text messages.
When a client delays response, they put you in a fix because you do not know how or when to proceed with their projects or demands.
Also, it is time, effort-consuming, and frustrating.
A Difficult Client
A difficult client is someone who is never pleased or impressed with anything you do, either with your products, services, and other areas of business.
These clients often find something to criticize or complain about your business.
They are always pessimistic and ready to throw your ideas and efforts out the window.
Additionally, they tend to act like they know everything about everything.
Nothing ever meets their taste or expectations.
They constantly make corrections and cause you to redo things over and over again without making any headway.
Trying to please a difficult client would cost you time, effort, and energy that you should channel to other aspects of the business and satisfying other clients.
Therefore, you shouldn’t hesitate to get rid of such clients politely so you can focus on other important aspects of the business.
An Arrogant Client
An arrogant client is someone who is often too full of him or herself.
They are self-centered and have no concern or care about how their actions affect others.
They have no respect for your time.
Hence, they selfishly require you to be at their beck and call.
They do not care how this affects your business or other clients.
Furthermore, an arrogant client has no regard for your guidelines, policies & procedures.
Such clients will always make business more challenging for you, which is the last thing you need.
Hence be on the lookout for such clients so you can politely get rid of them.
The Unrealistic Client
This type of client is a client whose demands or requests are always unrealistic and unreasonable.
They constantly reach out to you and make demands above what you can offer them and unrealistic time-frames to deliver on these demands.
Unrealistic clients could also be inconsiderate.
This is because they often do not care about the stress and inconvenience you face.
Neither do they care about how and what you have to do to meet their needs.
Their requests are often things that you cannot achieve at the time that they want it.
The Complainant
This type of client often has nothing good or positive to say about your business.
They do not only complain to you, but they would also complain to any other person they know via word of mouth or online platforms like social media.
A client who constantly complains can never positively recommend your business to others.
Rather they paint a negative image that prevents people from ever considering doing business with you.
The reasons for their actions might not necessarily be because of the quality of your products or services.
This is why you should consider getting rid of such clients politely.
Inattentive Client
For any business transaction to flow smoothly, both parties must agree and be on the same page.
This is through communication, listening, and value of each other’s opinions.
It doesn’t help when you have a client who intentionally refuses to listen to you and constantly disregards your advice or solution provided.
You will end up wasting your time and efforts on being able to achieve anything significant with the client.
Tips on How to Politely Get Rid of a Client
As we stated earlier, getting rid of a client is an important decision that you must make cautiously.
This is because the wrong approach could cost your business greatly.
Hence, you need to be absolutely professional and polite when getting rid of difficult clients.
Here’s are some of the essential steps you must take to get rid of a client politely.
Identify the client you want to get rid of and why
The first step to politely getting rid of a client is identifying the client you want to let go of and why.
This could be because of the difficulties doing business with such clients and its negative impacts on the business.
This negative impact could be wasted resources, loss of efficient employees, loss of customers, etc.
Doing this helps you properly weigh your decision and be sure that you’re taking the right steps.
Try to Provide a Solution or Remedy First
Before you opt to get rid of a client, try to solve the clients’ problems.
Also, you could consider options that could help you prevent issues and determine if you still want to continue doing business with them or not.
After providing this solution, give a little time to see if things improve between you and the client.
If the situation remains, then you’ll have to politely get rid of such clients to avoid aggravating the situation.
Check your Agreement and Contracts with the Client
While letting go of a client might be the best decision for your business, it needs to be done carefully.
This is so that it doesn’t cost your company its integrity, reputation, and profits.
This is why it is advisable to go through any contracts and agreements that you and the client have signed to prevent any breach of contract and avoid legal penalties.
Depending on the contract signed or the agreement reached, your business might have to wait till the stipulated time that the contract ends before ending terminating all business transactions.
Going through the contracts also helps you point out to the clients where they went against any agreement.
This helps the clients understand clearly why you’re letting them go.
Inform the Client of your Decision
After careful consideration and review of your contract with the client in question, informing the client of your decision is the next step.
This could be done by the business owner or anyone assigned to inform the client, like the management staff or human resource manager.
Informing the client of the decision to get rid of them must be done calmly, respectively, analytically and diplomatically.
Regardless of how the client has affected your business, it is not appropriate for you to apportion blames or lay accusations.
Instead, be direct and professional about it rather than being emotional.
You can pass this message to the clients via emails, phone calls, video calls, etc.
So before getting rid of a client, politely inform them of your decision and give them valid reasons.
Apologize for any Wrongdoings
A customer is always right.
This phrase does not entirely mean that clients make the best decisions or take the best actions.
However, it is not in the business’s position to blame or disregard the client.
While informing the client of your decision, a great addition would be to apologize for any inconveniences you might have caused them.
This is especially in cases where the customer constantly finds fault in everything that you do.
Refer or Recommend other Businesses to Them
Another tip for getting rid of clients politely is to recommend other businesses to them.
Hence, recommend other businesses or service providers you feel will effectively meet their needs.
Finish Up the Work or Projects they Assigned to you
If you have a pending or ongoing project with the client, it would be nice to finish up the projects before getting rid of such a client.
This way, you’re not breaching any contractual agreement you made with the client.
It also helps you build a stronger reputation as a professional business owner.
End the Process
Ending the process is the last but not the least step in politely letting go of a client.
This is the process of officially tying up whatever could appear to be loose ends between you and your clients.
Making sure that your now-former client understands why you’ve made such a decision.
It means concluding and terminating all business transactions with difficult clients.
End the process also means moving forward and looking out for new and potential clients while ensuring that your preexisting clients are happy and satisfied.
Conclusion on How to Politely Get Rid of a Client
The end of your business with a client is not always a dead end that you should be afraid of.
Rather it is a new opportunity for you to look out and carefully examine the type of clients you want to do business with in the future.
Clients could either have a positive or negative impact on your business.
However, it is up to you to ensure that the customers you retain are the ones who are beneficial to your business growth and development.
