Ive had a nightmare couple of days with a nasty client who has found any opportunity to phone me and have a go at me. Ive had enough of his arrogant attitude so Im going to tell him that either my bookkeeper takes over his account (shes happy to) or I will disengage. It made me think - has anyone else had an obnoxious client that they decided to get rid of?! I hate turning away work but hes just horrible to deal with.
Never had an obnoxious client thankfully but I've had a handful where extracting paperwork from them is like getting blood out of a a stone, and I've had to disengage a couple after missed deadlines, with another one looming if she doesn't buck her ideas up.
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John
Any advice given is for general guidance and professional advice should be sought applicable to your circumstances.
At the moment I don't have any obnoxious clients, but perhaps because I am not charging anything people are less likely to be difficult. However, I have had difficult clients in the past (I have been self-employed since 1983). You need to be careful not to chase down the last penny as the time spent dealing with unreasonable clients can remove energy from dealing with the more sensible clients.
What I have tended to do is where clients are quite relaxed I tend to also be relaxed. However, I try to ensure that no charges surprise anyone and that they have the opportunity to decide before a charge is rendered. Secondly if people are easy going then I don't require so much documentation, but if they are at all difficult I require a signature on a work order before any work starts.
Where accounts are in a mess you can present them with a work order for "reconciling discrepancies and missing data". If they decide not to sign it then you can indicate that you will disengage. The basic principle is that the more people are difficult the more that needs documenting and the more expensive it gets.
Through bitter experience I have learnt to be more selective with clients I take on. However, there is always one that pulls at the heart strings and you give in, quickly realising it was a huge mistake. Only this week, I came to the end of the line with one client and packaged up all their paperwork and handed it back, even though they still owe me a reasonable amount, I called it a day with them.
The relief I felt once dropping paperwork off was immense as I had realised that despite my best efforts, they would never mend their ways.
Thank you so much for your replies - I feel much better, although just had another client emailing me complaining about a CIS refund that I requested and he hasnt got it yet. I was fairly late applying for it compared to last year but Ive been so busy. Time to analyse the business I think and take it back to basics. I feel like Im drowning and thats not helping matters!
Nasty client = disengage. Respect yourself or no one else will.
Not sure why you would pass this on to your bookkeeper if you were his Accountant, nor if you want her to stay your bookkeeper for long (even if she is desperate enough to say she wants the nasty fool)
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Im not his Accountant, Im his bookkeeper. I have a junior bookkeeper working for me who knows the man and is still happy to take him on. Shes able to deal with difficult people whereas I take it more personally. Ive told her that if at any point hes nasty then we end our dealings with him. She wants the extra work and experience so entirely her decision.
