Just as there are all different kinds of woodworkers, there is a huge variety of clients out there. Your chances of getting repeat business increase exponentially every time you treat a client with the respect he deserves. Still, despite all the careful planning you put into client development, you will occasionally run into a situation that turns out far differently than you expected based on your initial contacts. There are clients who simply cannot be pleased, no matter how hard you try. Then get the job done and go out of your way to stay out of their way in the future.
Life is much too short to suffer at the hands of insufferable people.
In the next and final part of this series, we'll tie up some loose ends, including how to deal with clients who have a hard time visualizing projects, using clients as references and service after the sale. A checklist for developing good customer relations - Have a good contract. The Business Forum is co-sponsored by ISWonline and is moderated by Anthony Noel. All business topics are welcome, from sales and marketing to dealing with difficult customers. This article is reprinted by permission of Custom Woodworking Business Magazine .