 Thank you for being here. Some of us here are software developers. Some of us are business people. Some of us are bloggers. But at the end of the day, I would say all of us deal with clients in one form or the other. A blogger might have that one dedicated fan who's always on their back. Then one developer might have that client who's saying they want videos on a two giga drive. So all of these things comes down to say we need to deal with difficult clients. It comes down to saying we deal with difficult clients. But I think the first thing we need to think about is what makes a difficult client. I wish you all were talking about a difficult client or talking about a difficult service provider. As software developers, as some people don't like being called developers, as some people who make sites for other people, we might be the difficult one, not the client. It's being difficult means we're a difficult service provider. So what a difficult service provider typically does, something goes bad, a website goes down, they are unavailable. They do not communicate, they run away. They appear 30 days later to collect a rent. That's a costing fees. Actually at one time we had this client who was afraid to deal with us because just before they had a different service provider who was holding their website for ransom. It was hosted on their servers and they would not release it until they were paid next year's costing fees in advance. If you are doing that, that is unethical and you do not deserve to be making people's websites. You are not in business. You are there to destroy people. Please don't do that. Don't do that. But what we want to talk about today is that half difficult clients who are assuming that you do your best to give the best experience to your clients. You want your clients to when the city relax at home and they think what's good in my life. They think that service provider. That's what we're assuming. But when we have a difficult client, a difficult client is someone who wants things out of the normal. I would say most of these issues are because of communication issues. I think if people communicated well, would have less difficult clients, but more on that later. Some clients have no appreciation of the space time continuum. I guess that's a physics term. But this is basically lack of understanding how time works. When something needs to be done, they want it done now. They want it yesterday. There's no such thing as having done work yesterday. Because if it has to be done, they need to wait. Some even I declined to tell me, you know what? It's way too expensive. I can do this myself. I just don't have the time. That's why I hired you. You know what I reply to that? Do it yourself. Then we'll see. You don't have to be rude about it. On to the next. Here I'm going to just show a couple of examples. Typical examples. Honestly, I'd also like to hear from you guys what you faced out there. Here on number one, we have a client who says, I'm not really sure what I want, but I want a website that you decide. But what do you do, sir? I sell, I order groceries, then sell them. I put a small markup. So you want an e-commerce. You are the genius. You are the developer. You have been doing this for the whole of your life. Please do what you want. This is a difficult client. Think about it. What's going to happen is you are going to make something and it's not going to be it. So this client gives you the room to decide. Use it. Take advantage of it. But if everything is written down, say, I think we should do ABC. If they agree, you write it down. Because if you do not do that, scope will expand. And if scope expands, expenses increase. Expenses increase, you make a loss. Then there's that guy. Isn't this part of the requirements? Perhaps they wanted originally, they wanted to have their website linked to Facebook. The post on the blog, it appears on Facebook. LinkedIn, social media. And then two weeks later, they learned that there are chatbots. And they are saying, look, you said you are going to integrate with Facebook. So that means the chatbot should be in there. Has anyone faced anything like this before? Oh, okay. Come on, come on. These things. All right. Here's the thing. This is a scope issue similar to that. Same style, if it's written down and agree that additional items in scope need to be paid for. Mind you, you should understand your value. You have skills that someone else does not have and that they should pay for to access. Do not underestimate your worth. So if something was not in the original scope, please, please charge for it. It will benefit us all. I had a client come to me saying, the last person I worked with they didn't charge me for more items. And I can't. Then Mr. I needed this done yesterday. Oh, that's the guy I was talking about. On to the next. We don't need to repay that guy. But at least we understand that guy. Oh, then this one, sends you emails at 2 a.m. Normally, the funny thing about this person, normally they're an older guy married with children and you're wondering what they're doing up at 2 a.m. writing an email. But somehow they managed to find the time. This guy, you tell them, no, my waking hours are this. You have to be clear about boundaries. I mean you agree to do something. You are the professional. So tell them when it will be done. Don't leave them guessing. That's how they take advantage and ask you to work weekends Christmas time even. Ah, then my favorite one. I don't like that color. Everything is fine? Yeah, everything is fine, but that color, that color is just horrible. You fix the color? Yeah, the color is fine now, but I don't like that theme at the bottom. Change it? No, I don't like this too much. You know, whenever I had a client like that. Also, these clients are common. I thought Zimbabwe has made good clients. Ah, maybe national clients are better. Here, when someone is finicky about little things, it shows little understanding of what they are trying to achieve. A website is not something to flash, but it's supposed to achieve particular results. Why do they want a website in the first place? Do they just want to show people they are swag? That's really ever the case. If it is, if the whole purpose of the website is to show swag, then that client is right. They are not being difficult. But if it is not, they want to achieve something. They want more people to view the website. They want better SEO. They want more people who write, who send messages through. They want more people to reach them via social media. There's always a goal. Be clear with them. That's what they want. Because with this client, you'll have trouble going live. You'll never go live until you put your foot down and say we're going live. The goals you want are there. Once you go live, more often than not, they won't do anything else. Then when this takes five minutes, people will get this light. Alright, you get this light. You check that one out. On to the next. Then this one, this first lady here, she tells you, I want a website, margins 15mm, the background color, cyan blue, 1B33FFOO They tell you exactly what they need. In their head, it makes sense. But you've been doing this for years, a day is even. But you cannot really tell that this is going nowhere. This client, same like the one before, you ask, what are you trying to accomplish? Tell it the better ways to do this and propose them. Remember, you know better than they do. You know better than your clients do about this. This is your profession. You are the best at this. I'm sure if you go into their field and you do the same, they will tell you, relax. This is our field, we will handle it. You need to assure them, make sure they feel, I don't know what I want, but I don't want that. Sounds familiar? You know, I said I want a website that will get me into 2019. I want my business to be spearheaded into the next century. But this will not get me anywhere. It's 2018 for goodness sake. Do the people still even use this? Alright, this client will be very, very, very, very careful about this client. The best thing to tell this client is not we can't work together. Because they will not compromise. Trust me, if someone is bold enough to egg like that, they will be on your back. You will redo the site five times and they will damp you and they will say, I met a developer who was simply the west. The trick with this one, you want to identify them in the interview stage. When a client calls you and says, come, let's talk about this site we want, they are interviewing you. They're saying, would this guy be able to make my site? But it's your opportunity to interview them back. You interview them. You see, if this character reveals itself early, the first person will say, you know, I want, I don't know how to act it. I don't know how to act it. But they just fast it. Then this guy, actually let's not talk about that guy. Anyone want to tell me the experiences with the client? Anyone? Yes. Or they do not know what they want but they pick five different websites saying this is what I want. I guess that one is okay. They're not too bad. They're not too bad. All the websites will be totally different. With that one, they have something that they are seeing similar on other sites. Get to the root of it. Try to find out what you mean. If necessary, it's stupid. Say, what do you mean here? What you like? I'm not getting it. Until you get to the bottom. Because most often it's something that they want. They may like the blog aspect. They may like a specific news format but they can't say it. So until they explain it to you like you're a child you won't get it. And if you don't get it still then there's going to be issues going forward. Sometimes you just have to let go. In a moment. Go into the next slide. So stay calm. Telling people to stay calm is literally telling them not to stay calm. Someone once told me you'd have better luck baptizing a kid than telling a group of people to calm down. So whatever you do calm down. When a client says what they have to say keep your cool. Right. These clients we just talked about they're all difficult clients. There are other examples. Even West clients we've had bad experiences. But the worst thing you can do is to have your feelings escalate along with the timbre of your client. The key is communication. Right. What I've been talking about here is you're already in the situation. You're as of right now you already have a client acting that way. So we're trying to diffuse that situation. Those are the solutions I was offering here. But it all lies in the communication. If a client is to let it all out let them people feel a sense of achievement when they say what they need to say. It's only after they've finished saying it that they're ready to listen. So let them speak listen actively take the main points focus on those points communicate back always communicate back even when things are bad give updates I know it's often hard to say will give you daily updates or weekly updates you might actually not have to say that at all. That's a promise which you might not keep but on the ground when something happens give an update We're saying we're trying to diffuse the situation there's already some mistrust you hate the way they talk to you you tell them look if this and this I can no longer work with you or for us to continue working let us change ABC you have to say this do not be afraid otherwise people will storm all over you and please write it down whatever you agree write it down whether it's an email whether it's an official contract there should be a reference where one day you say remember when we had that disagreement and we agreed on this which I send you on that email and then you can move forward otherwise if you do not take care of the situation it puts a bad reputation on your brand your brand is everything your brand is your future clients in fact it's much easier to get work from an existing client or previous client than from a new client sure you hate your disagreements but let the way you solve it you want to have future work if they are too bossy they should know that the next time they are working with you they don't treat you like that if all else fails if all else fails not everyone is meant to be your client fire them so now how do I prevent all of this from happening alright let's take a look at that you are the parent you are in charge you don't have to watch Zootopia for the third time today anyone here has kids oh very few youngsters alright who is the professional may the professional please raise the hand who is the professional who is the professional really guys who is the professional yes you are the professional you know what you are doing you are the professional remember that if it makes it easier each time you wake up in the morning you are the professional because as the professional you know what needs to be done so the client who is interfering they do not know what needs to be done they insist that they know what needs to be done but the truth is they don't you tell them please give me room to do my work do I tell you how to do your job you can say it sweetly it still sounds sharp but you can say it nicely they'll understand the customer is not the king we've all been told that the customer is king that's a lie that's a lie but the customer must feel like a king because the king gets their way even if it's wrong you are the professional you know the solution let them know it's the solution but make them feel important listen to what they say acknowledge it take note of it and if there's something that is you think differently express it immediately I would like to put those adverts on the first page is the main is the main maki but that will turn off customers anyone who visits your site will live immediately I have a better solution why not a slide of your activities what you do best I can always put those adverts front page if you really insist but my professional opinion I'm saying don't do it the consequences of that will be upon you sounds scary doesn't it the client feels the same and they will understand that your professional opinion matters most how many of you are guilty of this starting a project with nothing written down you meet for a 5 minute meeting and you agree on having a website that does ABC how many how many are guilty of this oh one guy two three at least that's a good number small number but write things down please guys if it's not written down it does not exist the client can change their mind at the very last minute absolutely nothing you can do about it you can try to say but hey we agreed on this and they will counter but I paid you this but you paid me for that do you still want more money or that's it and you feel intimidated this is absolutely nothing you can do but if you have something written down you can always come back say look on the email of the 23rd of februari we agreed on this or better yet if it is a big project have a proper contract what are the consequences of not paying what are the requirements what are the consequences of not fulfilling all those requirements everyone is clear and it's enforceable in court I know many of you if not all have never been to court with a client but it happens as a side note it's good as entrepreneurs to have legal representation of some sort friends these things they happen out of the blue but that's a side note remember also not all prospects turn into a client both were saying this is before conflict we started after conflict happens and we were talking about before the conflict begins before the conflict begins you need to decide is this person worthy to be your client you are the professional and someone is to be worthy to become your client I know you are used to being picked you are worthy to make up website but at the same time is the client worthy to get your services what is the type of client you are targeting how much are you charging does this client share the same values as you do they understand the value of your work when you have conflicts in these issues these conflicts would turn into difficult clients so you need to think about this before you begin work with a client just think can we work with this person this client they don't have the money but is there a non-manitari benefit we can get if there are non-manitari rewards perhaps it can be worth it if not you need to weigh it out I can't answer these questions for you but these will at least guide you to say is this client worth it and of course the last point if there are no clients there is no business don't be quick to say we can't deal with this client sometimes the trouble is worth it if a client is paying 10 times what they normally what you normally get for the same project and they are pouring abuse on you I'm sure sometimes you can take it just take it for the team so that's it no clients, no business