More Money & Less Stress?

At 2pm last Wednesday, I got a call from one of my clients. Before I could barely utter my "hello," she launched headlong into her story - "I am so frustrated! I have this client who has been dragging her feet at every stage of our project. I'm working on a branding campaign for her company and expected to be finished nine months ago, but every time we get to a stage in the project where the ball is in her court, I have to follow-up umpteen times and push and prod just to get her to move forward. In almost every case, it takes her about two months to do something that could have been done in a week. Then, two months later when she's finally finished with her part, she cheerily announces that she's ready for me to start the next phase and wonders how quickly I can do it. Every time this happens I have to completely reacquaint myself with her project. All in all, I've spent almost twice as many hours as I budgeted. How can I get her to wrap up this project so I can move on?," she finished.

I cannot think of one service business owner that hasn't faced this issue at one time or another. We all started our businesses concerned about providing great customer service and a quality service delivered on time. We thought that was the key to having happy clients. But, at some point, we find out that great customer service means that we're not allowing one client's delays to impact another client's project, the profitability of our business, or our own personal satisfaction. This is when we have to recognize that we are responsible for this situation. If you've allowed a client to run amuck dragging a project on forever, changing project parameters numerous times, delaying payment of the final bill, why shouldn't they continue to behave this way? It's up to you to put into place policies and procedures that communicate this to your clients and prospects from the very beginning.

One format I've seen used very effectively is a one-pager called "How We Work Together." It's a very basic document that outlines the responsibilities of both you and the client. It makes clear who is responsible for what and when so there are no questions later. It also outlines the consequences if either of you misses the target. Not only does this put the client on the straight-and-narrow, it shows them that you are willing to be held to high standards as well.

By using the How We Work Together document, you can begin setting the stage for productive client relationships from your very first contact with a new prospect. During your first meeting, give them a copy of the document and go through it with them. When I ran my web development company, mine included a rough timeline for each stage of the project and described how the responsibility shifted from me to them and back again throughout the process. It also included a description of consequences should particular stages of the project go beyond the timeline by a specified amount of time. This applied to me as well as them. People like to know what to expect. It left them feeling that I had a system I followed and could be relied upon to do what I was proposing to do. I feel confident that this is one of the reasons I got 90% of the projects I pitched.

I used the How We Work Together document again once I had received the signed contract and deposit payment. At that point, I would consult my project calendar and assign specific dates to each stage of the project included on the document and mail it out to the client. They had already seen the document once, so it wasn't new to them. Now, they just reviewed the dates and used it as a follow-up tool.

If you are currently in a similar situation, handle it as best you can in order to preserve the client relationship and introduce the How We Work Together document at the beginning of the next project with this client. To begin to set boundaries with all of your clients and prospects, create your own How We Work Together document and utilize it in every new project for new and existing clients.

About The Author

Kimberly Stevens is the author of the ebook series, *The Profitable Business Owner: A Step-by-Step System for Starting & Running a Successful Service Business*. Download Sample Chapters & get her free MiniCourse, *The 10 Most Common Mistakes Business Owners Make & How To Avoid Them* at: http://www.askthebizcoach.com/ebooks.htm; kim@askthebizcoach.com

---

Better Links Directory

Are You Seduced by The Dark Side of Wealth Creation? Get-Rich-Quick Scammers

With the growing number of expert business people, consultants and... Read More

5 Steps to Derail Difficult People - Your Surefire Way to a Peaceful Resolution

That one guy at work that always has to be... Read More

5 Minute Morning Balance Ritual

"3 Questions, 5 Minutes a Day: Make leaps towards greater... Read More

Living In The Now

I hope you are sitting down as you read this!... Read More

COACHING: When it?s Beyond Oprah and Dr. Phil

How many more servings of the daytime self-help salad will... Read More

Home For The Holidays

In my husband's family, family members send Christmas cards to... Read More

The Harvest: Shared Power

The fall harvest comes upon us once a year. The... Read More

Online Counseling - a Timely Happenstance

Online counseling may be the latest and greatest improvement in... Read More

How To Increase Your Coaching Record By At Least 25%

"How can I become a better and more effective coach?"... Read More

Business Career, Executive Coaching Article - Leadership: Understanding the Human Condition

"Nothing is more practical than for people to deepen themselves.... Read More

What The Buddha Says About Coaches

There is a Buddhist saying that goes like this: "If... Read More

Change vs Transition

"There is a time for departure, even when there's no... Read More

Coaching Skills

IntroductionThe question for leaders in organizations today is how do... Read More

Action NOT Reaction

Do you feel you are in charge of your life... Read More

Good, Good, Good, Good Intentions

I always do a lot of thinking about good intentions... Read More

Finding a Mentor in the 21st Century

Traditionally, mentors volunteer the wisdom of their experiences to help... Read More

How to Kill Fear When Dealing with Aggressive People

The book Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by... Read More

Managing Your Perfectionism

What Is Perfectionism?This is the first of two newsletters that... Read More

Trump University - Why Success Education Is Important

Trump University recently unveiled offers a bonanza of success secrets,... Read More

Why Therapy Fails Sometimes

I saw a couple for marriage counseling this week, and... Read More

Personal Core Values: Your Key to Success and Happiness

Each of us has our own set of personal values;... Read More

Whats Wrong with Life Coaching?

As a Life Coach I quickly identified most individuals wanted... Read More

Sorry Dr Maslow, I Think You Got It Wrong

In the 1950s Abraham Maslow published a book entitled "... Read More

Coaching: YOU Can Improve Your Organizations Performance

GOOD BUSINESS COACHING: Clearly, the right kind of coaching can... Read More

The Incredible Rightness of Being

An Age-Old QuestionSearching for more meaning in our lives has... Read More