From the buyer who finds something wrong with every house you show him to the seller who demands to see you every day, high-maintenance clients can be a nightmare. Nothing you do makes them happy. They call you relentlessly. They are rude beyond belief. They truly believe that they are the most important person in your life. Besides wrapping your hands around their neck, how can you handle those difficult clients?
Keeping in mind that bad clients happen to good people, cut yourself a bit of slack. Hold on to your sense of humour and laugh at the client’s little annoyances. Listen to your client’s concerns and make sure the problems are not a result of your own perceptions. Even when the client is driving you nuts, try to see their point of view. Their repeated calls or unreasonable demands may be a result of something in their lives that you are not aware of.
Most Encountered Problematic Clients
The most common type of difficult clients Realtors encounter include:
- The Know-It-All – this guy knows more about real estate than you ever will and lets you know it every chance he gets.
- The Control Freak – this client needs to know every detail of everything going on that is even remotely related to her.
- The Worry Wart – this person worries about everything and calls you a dozen times a day to discuss her concerns.
- The Hearing Impaired – she never listens to the words that come out of your mouth and blames you for not keeping her informed.
- The Hand Shaker – reluctant to sign any documents, this client considers a verbal agreement good enough.
- The Commitment Phobe – he is so indecisive and wallows for days on every decision; if he buys a house in the next five years, you’ll be shocked.
- The Interior Designer – this lady loves to look at houses and uses you to chauffeur her around to get ideas. She will never buy a home as she has one she is presently decorating.
Effects of Having Challenging Clients
Difficult clients are not just annoying. Their negative ramifications are far-reaching:
- Like good clients who speak highly of you and refer you to others, bad clients bash your reputation every chance they get. This can be devastating to your business.
- They drain your energy and eat up your time, leaving less of both for the rest of your clients.
- They sap your resources.
- They decrease your overall effectiveness with colleagues as well as loved ones.
- They can leave you doubting your own abilities.
- They keep you from prospecting for more lucrative and enjoyable opportunities.
Dealing With Difficult Clients
Believe it or not, your client may have no idea that they are driving you bonkers. By keeping quiet, you are contributing to the problem. Make an appointment with the client to chat about the expectations you both have. Don’t throw the issue at them when you are driving to a home showing. Many clients will be willing to work with you to make both of your lives easier and succeed together in their real estate goals.
Stay calm in your dealings with difficult clients. Getting into an argument or losing control of yourself will only make matters worse. Be optimistic and encouraging to reduce your client’s frustration. Take responsibility for your part in the situation. But be sure to cover your assets. Keep records of all your dealings with the client and document the steps you have taken to address their concerns.
Firing a Difficult Client
What if you’ve tried reasoning with your difficult client and things continue to get worse? You’re mentally done. You’ve had all you can take of John Smith or Jane Doe, client from hell. Your life and your sanity are being threatened. More energy is going into this client than you will ever receive. How do you “fire” him?
Don’t lose sight of the fact that you are an independent professional. You have the choice to let demanding clients control your business life or take control and improve the quality of your work. Be respectful (hard, yes, when they don’t respect you) yet firm in your decision to let them go.
Point out why your decision is the best one for them; it’s okay if the logic is a bit of a stretch. “I don’t think I am the best Realtor for you, considering the commission you are willing to pay.” Or try, “I understand you like personalized attention. Unfortunately, with my schedule these days, I won’t be able to give you the time you would like.”
Whenever possible, offer an easy out for the client so he or she can save face. Subconsciously they’ll think more of you and won’t leave the relationship with hard feelings. If they create a scene when you are letting them go, stay calm and breathe deep. Keep your demeanour professional – you can vent your own frustrations later. Hold your ground and reiterate your point.
Someone new to the real estate industry or a Realtor who is experiencing a lull in their own business may be willing to take on your difficult client. If you can give your soon-to-be ex-client the name of another potential Realtor to consider, they may leave you happier than you dared to anticipate. Try not to leave them in the lurch.
Most clients will fight to keep you, especially if they have been successful in railroading you so far. But don’t forget that your sanity is being threatened. By getting rid of difficult clients, you will not be richer but you will be a lot happier.
Above all, remain professional. Try not to give the client any more reasons to drag your name through the mud.
No matter how bad a client is, remember there will be a time that he or she is a distant memory and you’ll be a better person for having dealt with him or her. And, as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
Join the Conversation