**Last update: November 15, 2023**
As entrepreneurs, we all know that paid customers are the lifeline of our service-based businesses. But should we just accept every paying customer without question? My answer is a resounding no, even if you’re just starting out.
Why? Because not all paid customers are worth taking on. Some are not created equal in terms of their value, both in the beginning and in the long run. You might encounter cheapskates who are ready to take advantage of you at every turn. Sure, they’re paying, but with conditions that turn into “scope creep.” They’ll ask you to do more than what was agreed upon without paying any extra. Worse yet, they’ll try to charge back and get their money back with lame excuses or even outright lies once they’ve got what they wanted.
This is especially true when you’re starting out and haven’t yet developed a solid screening process. Accepting such customers can lead to more losses than gains. They’ll drain your resources instead of contributing to your profits. It’s pretty hard to grow your business with this type of customer on your roster.
Three Signs to Help You Screen Customers
These customers can be of any age, ethnicity, or background. They might have different personalities and positions, but they’ll share the same common red flags:
- Selfishness: When discussing the job scope before work begins, these customers will try to add in irrelevant tasks, expecting you to do them for free. For example, if your main offer is logo design, and during the scope discussion, they mention wanting a Facebook cover design as an additional freebie. They might argue that they deserve it since they’re already paying for a logo. This one sign alone should be enough to raise a red flag.
- Cluelessness: This type of customer is a real pain to deal with in the long run. They’ll constantly change the job scope and concept, often leading to “scope creep” that will give you a stomachache. However, there’s a solution in this case. Since you’re the professional, that’s why they came to you. Sometimes, you need to take the lead and advise them instead of blindly following their direction to get them the best results while closing the job.
- Unrealistic Expectations: Years ago, I started a web design company with a friend. One day, a customer asked me to create an exact clone of the Agoda website. Can you guess his offer? $100,000? No, $50,000? Still no. His offer price was $700! And he thought that was all he had to pay for the website – no servers, no maintenance costs, nothing. When I explained the server costs, he got angry, calling me a liar and thinking I was trying to extort more money from him. Lol.
How to Recognize Them?
It takes a bit of experience to recognize these patterns. When you’re starting out, you might fall into their traps a few times. However, after just 5-10 conversations, you’ll start to recognize the same pattern. It will come through in their speaking tone, body language, and overall demeanor.
The right customers will make your business grow much more while giving you far fewer headaches. So, be selective.
Original Source : https://www.puripong.com/business-lessons/should-you-accept-every-customer-even-something-doesnt-feel-right.html
