 Everybody, each one of us, would like to work with a pleasant and a happy client, right? Because those people are a positive energy creator for us. We feel inspired to work along with us. But this is not the story all the time, right? So during my career, I have faced many clients being an IT professional for the last 10 years. I have faced clients across the globe and there have been various types of them. Some being very supportive, some being very understanding. Suppose you are in a situation where you are not able to give them a proper solution, they will guide you through. So in that scenario, we feel really blessed that the people are there to understand us. And this will help us to work in a more learning phase. This is a good learning phase for us as being in support, or being in queue with, or maybe as an agency owner, or as a freelancer, or maybe as a company owner. You might be having your own employees. So while all this process was going on, there are a few things which I have learned, and today I am going to share with you all those little lessons which I have learned, and I hope that you will implement them in your career ahead. So yeah, successfully dealing with difficult clients. This skill actually, this skill will make you more influential and happy in your career. So if you develop this skill, this will help you in a lot way, apart from being a professional also. While you have to work with them, they are not much trouble actually. It's a smooth sale, you can sell all the phases of the project, or maybe if you are in support or in any other aspect as a WCOR or a QA clients. So I would like to know how many of you are having experience of 100% happy clients, 100% client satisfaction, 100% as a product service provider? As a product service provider? So that is actually next to impossible because all of us are unique. All of us are unique. So definitely the problem which we are going to face will be unique. Endless learning process, but the key and understanding, the basics. And it's been quite some time. I have various feathers in my cap. I've been a trainer, I've been a QA and presently I'm working as a freelancer. And in all these scenarios, I have actually, you know, learned quite a few good lessons, very good lessons. In four categories, the penny picture, you know, a niche over the project is going to come. They will ask you, they are least bothered what value you are going to provide them or how much that value is going to, you know, build their objective, their business, their whatever the motto is in life. So they are least bothered about the product, the quality, nothing. They are not interested. And even if suppose you, okay, let's give it a start. If you aren't in this mode, they will be like, you know, if we add it in here, it's going to be so good. I think if we add it in here, you can also provide it with this one. I think it's like feature mode. This is like, if we define it in the scope, even after that. So every time we communicate with them, they always are in a mode of a money-minded set. You cannot take them apart from that. They always, they are in an under mode always. They are intolerable. They are efficient in many aspects also. And then they are demanding all the time. They are so much top-ative. When I say top-ative, they just keep on talking. They never listen. They never let you listen. They never want to listen to you. They are into always, you know, this negative aura is around them. The moment you come to know that there is going to be a call with them, you feel so drained. And there is this negative energy and aura, which is always, they never smile. They are never in a pleasant mode. So before talking to them or in any interactive mode, we never have an interaction with them. So that aura, that energy come across to us also. So very difficult people to actually handle. Most of our business owners, agencies, people who are freelancing and developers who are working apart from the regular job day, most of the times are, you know, targeting these two clients. They are indirectly actually. They are targeting these two clients indirectly. But actually, if you need to have a smooth sailing in respect of your profession, in respect of your business, we need to focus the thing in these two fields. That is the sophisticated and affluent. Now who are sophisticated clients? These clients are very educated. They are abreast of the technology. They know what they want and they are a good listener. If you try to educate them, they are good learners and they will appreciate that. And they will also provide us some knowledge which will build the trust, which is the most important aspect while going through the journey of creating a project. So beat phase one till the last phase of project till the delivery of the product. So these clients are basically, it's a two way. They will also learn and grow and we will also learn along with them. So this is a very good set of clients which all of us would like to have. The next one is affluent. Affluent clients are basically, they work on feeling. Does that particular product is going to make them feel good or not? Or whatever the service which they have acquired. So that is how they think. For example, in this room only, there must be a set of people who would like to go for a certain kind of mobile and there would be a certain group which will be like, I don't want this mobile, this doesn't make me feel good as in whatever the criteria is and they will go for the other thing. Irrespective of the features, they don't want to get trained with the features, they are not bothered about the money also. So affluent clients are basically who take decisions based on feelings. So these are the four major clients which we have. Now, difficult clients. Whenever the difficult client is going to communicate with us, we know that there is something which is going to, and we are in an alert mood. So there is this website which I want to develop. I am a very difficult client and I want to develop this website and I don't have much money, I don't have time also. I don't know what is it but I don't want this. I don't want this and I want you to create a website which should be next to Amazon or Hotstar with the logo of Spider-Man. So I want it to be very good. Since we have talked today only, I know that a website can be created in minutes or maybe in an hour. So by what time are you going to deliver me? A difficult client will be talking to you in that way. We are doing our best. We are just working so hard. So it was actually 10 seconds. But why didn't you complete it in 12 seconds? You wasted my time. And for a QA, that will be the beta version. The client really crits off. And up to them, the product, they are never satisfied. They always have one or two other things which they will trip up on. And then it will definitely, there will be a stage where we will regret why we have taken a decision, a good decision to work with these clients. So this is how it goes. So plan journey. We all like to have a client which is happy. But then with a happy client also, it is not like a straight ECG line where there is no, everything is like they have thought of something, we have thought of something and it is going to be a straight ECG line with no ups and downs. No, there will be many ups and downs in a fluent client, in educated, sophisticated client and in respect of the penny pinches also. There will be ups and downs. With the penny pinches, we can keep on negotiating time factor and lot many other things since they are not as into technical things. So we can keep on working with that. So it is never going to be easy with the other three clients which we have talked about. That is the penny pinches, the fluent and the sophisticated one. But with some of your clients it will be like this. Some with a few ups and downs, with others it will be more ups and downs. So it will be a journey, a good journey I would say. But with difficult clients, since beginning your heartbeat will be on a pitch that will never be in a settling mode. So it will be a difficult ride for you. Yes, be patient of life with them. Don't waste your time treating the symptoms while ignoring the disease. The best thing which we can do is prevention. How we can prevent being a freelancer, being an IT agency or an IT business owner or as a developer, how we can sense as a marketing or sales team in the company how we can sense, how we can prevent a difficult client. Because we know the end result is not going to be good with them. So it's best to, the approach to make it as a preventable thing. The first thing is how to prevent them. So the prevention is the best methodology with the clients. We need to examine them first. We need to know what their target client is. The first thing we need to know and we need to understand their niche as well as our niche and their work and skill. We need to analyse our work and skill, what we are able to deliver to our clients. It should not be an open ended development company or a freelancer or a service provider. You know that you are agreeing for an architecture work also and you are agreeing for a doctor's work also as a content writer. There should be a niche on which your thought process can work well. So you should not, the first thing is you should be able to understand your own skill niche and the other thing is you need to understand what exactly they are into. Now, whenever the gut feeling, the moment you interact with them, you will have sense that it is not a good deal going to be. You will come to know it, the moment you interact with them or there might be an uncertainty of maybe or may not be. But there will be a, sometimes when you meet certain people or the team from which you are going to get the project, you know at the very instant that it is going to be a good deal. The moment you interact with them, you will know that there is that click yes, this is going to be a good start. There may be chances that it might go in a source state of situation but then in the very first thing you definitely feel that it is going to be a good cooperative work environment along with this. So gut, definitely you need to read those signals. In your website, you need to upload whatever your target is, your skill is, your process basically. How you work in your company or as a freelancer, what are your objectives, what are your targets? So upload everything on your website so that there is a scene in the client's mind that he is not coming online to you when approaching to you. He will have that scene. The scene will be planted in his mind that this is what I can expect from these guys as a service provider. So market yourself your work on your websites with maximum of FAQ, the process which you follow, the kind of work which you deliver. So that will be definitely a good thing for prevention, brief qualification on voting lessons. Now there is this request for proposal form, make it as detailed as possible what they work on, what is their requirement, what were their challenges in the past, and what are their challenges in present, what is their marketing budget, what is their timeline, what is their complete budget for the whole project. So that is, and make it as detailed, the timeline is very important. They are into also service industry, they are going to get the service from you guys. So you need to know the marketing budget also because we are not going to do that part. So they need to have that. We are not supposed to do that. If that is part of the project and the world scenario, it should be included in this course in the very big name because again the money factor will come and that will also, these guys will, this section of clients will, you know, I will include on that. So include and define in that request for proposal form every aspect and try to basically understand them as much as possible. The more you understand them, the more you understand them, it will be easy for you whether you are going to be able to deliver what they actually require. You know, that will be, as much as detailed it will be, it will be as much as easy for you. I would say try to create a client avatar, you know, where we can actually visualize them. That avatar will let you know the insight out of the team which you are going to work with, the client which you are going to work with. And that avatar will help the people who are in the back end who have never interacted with the client. So when they are, let's suppose they are in the QA, QA aspect, the QA will come to know that he can't do this in this, or the client support, he has to support. Okay, I will put a mail in it first, then talk to him. Skype call is coming, how much do I have to avoid to take Skype call, how to take it on the group? So that avatar that you create that is so clear, which is very clear and perfect, then, you know, it will be a whole together, an easy sale for you and your team. So this has to be a proper detailed one. The more it is detailed, the more it is easy for you. Road mapping consultation, provide them a PowerPoint presentation. If suppose you have taken them, okay, the thing is to avoid actually, but then let's suppose, if you have taken them, okay, okay, let's go, I will take this work, after that we will see, first take face, after that let's see, maybe he will appreciate my work, he will value my work, the team will appreciate it, and they will give me a good feedback. But with these guys, actually it is not possible because they are like, they work on all the aspects to make your life hell, because since they can't do the optimistic or the positive part of it. So it is actually quite difficult. So yeah, in this road mapping, you can provide them a preview of what all and how the case is going to happen. And yes, if they are interested in, they can pitch in and they can, you know, check some money to proceed with the first phase of the project. And which is good for you. This will help. But this is only possible once you have created that request for proposal form that proper avatar is there, you have interacted them, then you have made them clear your process and your niche and your skills very clear to them. This phase will only come after that because if those first phases are not clear, I don't think you will get the feel to have this consultation session with them. Until that, two things are not clear to you because you need to palate your things and you need to understand your own because, see, the client is going to, no matter how much we market, the client is the one who brings it, you know, organic clients, fellow clients. Let's suppose a web page or other social media, inbound or outbound marketing things are there in our system when we are working. So those things may bring you maybe one client or something, but then if a proper client, product is delivered properly, our service has been delivered properly to the client, then that client or any client will give you more clients, the word of publicity, the goodwill which you create in the market that will help you more in respect of having more clients or maybe that client may come back ahead in future also. And he will recommend that also. So if we actually developed this skill to handle the difficult clients, they are actually good. So it's very important for us to deal with them rather than avoiding them, totally avoiding them. You know, so yes, the road mapping is important. Pricing, be very clear on your pricing aspect. Why? Because we are not, we are all into 100% business and we are not doing any charity or funded thing. So when the pricing aspect can be very firm and clear about your services and tell them this is effective and a priceless thing which you are going to deliver. So pricing is very important within. Practice and make realistic approach. The moment there are some things which you feel that they are not satisfied with and they are shooting mails of the mails. And again you receive another then another. So in that case talk to the team and then with the whole opinion and with the proper time slot if the client is in a very not in a good mood or maybe swearing or shouting also. So in that case define a timeline. But that timeline should be a proper timeline. It should not be something that will happen in the evening. And we will buy at the end of the day. It shouldn't be like this. Because if this happens and you are already getting so angry that you have given so much money that you lied to them that your team is like this you have made a team of 15 and 10 and you are talking to me like this. So if you have given a wrong timeline then it is not going to work. Don't try to be responded or it will be taken care of. End of the day. Just hold on. Talk to the people who are your leadership the team who are actually going to have. Because if it is a showstopper it is not going to be sorted out in a second. It is going to be. So whatever timeline you are providing provide it a proper one. So that the thing has been sorted it has been tested properly and then only delivered. So otherwise it will escalate and that argument that level of dissatisfaction will escalate only. Listen and let the client win. If it is a face to face thing or a mail just let them vent out. Let them here. Because if it is some kind of bad words are being used in Skype call and it is on your conference room it is full pitch. Listen. The thing which works is listen. It is a very good tactic. Don't go after the words don't go or think about what all it has been said in front of my juniors in front of my seniors don't go with the terminologies. Just listen. Because it is not personal thing maybe you have never met face to face about the dissatisfaction and why that complaint has come to you why because he is expecting the team is expecting some solution from you. So the best is let the client vent out and just listen to what exactly is the problem rather than going with the terminologies think listen about things don't let try to give a response. Because the moment you respond or you try to win you are lost. Because that is not our objective is our objective is to find out the concern or the issue and sort it out. If the client is rude apologize properly to the client admit that there is nothing you can do if you cannot do anything about it write a mail or face to face and we have tried to help you as much as we can accept it and let the clients also know about it. You don't have to fake it if you don't have the resource for it if you think that a resource can be taken care of and give you one or two then you can say so but if you think that it is not in your limit just clearly tell them don't let them hand over there. It is not good because that will be wasting hours and time watching the time of both the parties. So every client whenever they are at their full page you have to remain calm you don't have to take it personally and you use your best listening skills and try to understand basically what they are trying to communicate or where exactly they are having a trouble just sympathize sympathize doesn't mean like I am so sorry for you this is not sympathizing you need to say I apologize for all the inconvenience which you and your team is going on because sorry what it says sorry means you are not understanding you are not trying to connect with what exactly the client is trying to tell you sorry the moment you say it it means whatever you have said you haven't heard it sorry if you have said this means you have not understood because but if you try yes I do understand I am so apologistic about this and I will try to try to sort this as early as possible so that is a more better way don't use this term actually find a solution find a solution of it and give them a time frame or how how would you try to impact on it and every time if it is a face to face again you need to listen to the client understand what he is trying to say you need to remain calm and adjust your mindset and separate your feeling from the situation you are not supposed to let that feeling out we don't have to directly comment on it we just need to give that problem a solution rather than thinking about one comment and ending it give a small pinch this should never happen because they are going to get that thing this is a backfire that should never happen we are service providers we need to run the company for 100 more years so we have a wisdom view about the company to run it for the next 100 years so keeping that in mind all those things in mind try to respond in your communication conclusion is they are actually very valuable for us difficult lines they are very valuable for us they actually help us to grow as a service provider so never try to actually avoid them listen to them and try to deliver your best with more value which can add to their objectives and their values so I would like to quote over here Peter Duggar and I would say efficiency is doing things right effectiveness is doing the right things so let's be more effective thank you so much in the requirement and purchase order the proposals which we fill after that the purchase order all the requirements will be written there will be this amount there will be this timeline as a individual, as a freelancer if you get a project as an organization how to handle it that means I am a freelancer and I am taking a project so the organization how to handle it as an individual why? because in organization you have teams marketing team, sales team the leadership is there to take care of the things to understand the whole cycle which is going to happen they monitor if you are doing a little incorrect thing but when you sit in your room as a freelancer you have a project and this such difficult client is there it is more challenging so I recommend you to go for a detailed as I told you a detailed request for proposal form because that will help you to understand and create a client because if that is not there because we are never going to interact in person and you will be the only source for them so try to send them a link let them have a it should be a detailed one detailed one with all your insecurities also so they will fill it up if they are not filling it up or avoiding it they are not the one for you so I recommend you to avoid video calls avoid video calls because that will let them know your region you know and then because they are we live in all of us we know how the world is going on so then your choices your lot many other aspects which are there invisible then you may but if it is not required by go for a video call the second thing is after the mail and the communication is done you can definitely go for a proper call a detailed call as much as before taking the project go take as many as calls if you feel that it is something which is not going to a right person or a dean to pitch in take as many as calls because with that also you come to know the patient level of the other person and you will understand their psyche to deal with their service providers how they have interacted with their service providers that is how they will you know talk to you communicate to you so if they are mature enough they will definitely respond nicely and properly to all the calls which you are making to them welcome your difficult category mother so what is your best advice to handle it sorry when non-technical client when non-technical client comes into your difficult column that it has become difficult for you to handle so how will you tackle it the client is not aware of how we work so we need to make him aware I have told you two things one is by marketing on your website sending you the link of the best proposal form a very detailed one the things which he is trying to avoid ask them all those things in call that I have sent you this link and in these three four start the timeline the process and your budget these three things have not been taken care of or you have ignored or you have not defined it so I would like to know more about it let them answer it push him to answer because that that is the area where he is going to screw you up later so it is better that you make him write those things actually I am just running a sort of firm and I have a team of twenty people so sometimes what happened I have a retaining client to whom I am just working for three to four years and sometimes what happens my team just made small mistakes and client just being so angry and they just want to fire us like even though we are working for three to four years for just small mistakes they are just trying to fire us and they just give us a last warning and all that like see this is what and this is what I am paying for you and all that so we will stop working so at that time how we convince them like see we have worked for three to four years and for such small things you are just leaving us and all that how we can convince them it has been how long you are working with them minimum four years four years now so you are running an agency a company with 10 to 15 people so those 10 to 15 people in four to five years are this is this team the same it is changing your team is changing on the other end is the team is same your client team is same they are almost same now what happened over here which I guess maybe I am not right about it the kind of service the quality of service which your dedicated team which was there two or three years back they were actually working very sincerely and very hard shouldn't have let them go they were as the client the team is not being changed they are used to that dedication that effort that sincerity which your team delivered so that is what is pinching them now what you can do is the first is you have to maintain them train your team train your team and try to guide them motivate them with your efficiency and with your hard work not directly that I have been working for four hours watch it, eat food if you want to sell then not like this but you show your caliber how much you determined or maybe there might be some people in your company who are actually since there when you started so you three or four of you guys you take some new skills to develop trust once you develop that trust ask your team to work in a certain in a manner in which the client will be happy again that is the difference the time when they are angry how do they calm down that time you need to actually listen to them and whatever solution you are trying to give them or whatever thing they are doing there must be three things or there might be two things or there might be one thing on which they are cribbing jot it down on the piece of paper ask what are the things collect all the mails calls which you have done till now and try to find out there might be three or four things on which they are cribbing jot it down and select a path there must be a navigation and you might be knowing how to sort it out I am sure you might be knowing how to sort it out so work on it on an emergency basis if you really want them to we will do it project management experience I have been to delivery manager since last two years so mostly as a delivery manager I was looking employee I mean a client who is actually difficult before escalation comes otherwise generally he was supposed to be understanding so in the whole session I think I have two points that I am able to add one thing is after experience I learn that the more transparent the clients are why is a client difficult whether they are by manager or they have some experience or we are on a delivery stage initially there is no client start up time so all those scenarios one thing is no matter how transparent it is there is nothing frankly speaking there is nothing so no matter how transparent the client will understand where the developer is actually struggling where there are actually several problems where there is a problem of medical skill where we are improving this really matters and with this we can control their anger on a level correct so that is one thing second thing or habit it is we generally keep in touch with the client when it is delivery time when our milestone is spring delivery at this time when the whole experience says we meet on delivery time before that the frequency is high what do we do what is your daughter doing what is their presentation going on our developer did a great job your project manager tell us about the benefits so the client will appreciate the client will understand that they are doing hard work and also making relations and whatever it is going to be delayed or something is wrong so tell us at this time tell us at that time that it is wrong but we are working on it without telling you so transparency and keeping touch with the client also will help their anger on a level if you like greet them on a certain time like they are very though they are disciplined but then they are tough to manage also but then if you greet them they will appreciate that but here if it is happening like suppose we have a need or a Diwali or our own things if they are not greeting us should not take it to the heart