How To Deal With Difficult Clients
By: Photos Of Us
Tags: Design, Photography, Photos, Photography Tips, Photographer

How To Deal With Difficult Clients

Have you ever gone into a photoshoot with a smile on your face, and came out an hour later ready to pull your hair out? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Difficult clients may make you want to throw your camera out the window, walk away, and never look back, but it’s important to remain calm in these situations. It’s inevitable that you will stumble upon a few frustrating clients, so it is best to learn how to deal with sticky situations rather than avoiding them entirely. To help you with this, here is our best advice for dealing with difficult clients.

Acknowledge their feelings.

Whether or not you believe their actions are justified, it is vital that you acknowledge how your client is feeling. Try focusing on their emotions and work with them to come to a reasonable solution. Although it may be difficult, avoid letting your own emotions spiral out of control, for it could upset your client more, and hurt your business’s reputation. For example, if they are angry that they have not received their photos yet and constantly pester you to work faster, ensure them that their feelings are normal and reasonable, and establish a timeline to make them feel more comfortable. Perhaps offer solutions like uploading photos onto Photos of Us as you finish editing each one, or send them updates so they don’t feel out of the loop. A little bit of communication and sympathy can go a long way.

Take a deep breath.

It is very easy to let stress get the best of you, especially in the heat of the moment. However, it is important to take deep breaths as you listen to your client express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Doing so will not only help you think more rationally, but it will also make your overwhelmed client feel comfortable knowing they are being heard. Although you may feel pressured to respond to their concerns immediately, it’s okay to take a moment to collect your thoughts as you mull over some reasonable solutions.

Don’t take offense.

Remember not to take offense to your client’s behaviors. You can never be sure of their home or work situations. For instance, it is possible that they also had a stressful day at work; perhaps their boss yelled at them and they are transferring their feelings of frustration towards you. This is very common, and should be considered when analyzing clients with extreme reactions and emotions.

Make it right.

Sometimes we are the one in the wrong, and it is perfectly okay to admit that. In these instances it is important that we fix our mistakes. For example, if you haven’t delivered your client’s photos on time, offer them a discount as an apology and share any completed photos of them to show that you are working to get their photos finished. You can also consider offering a guarantee if you don’t have one already. Having one will encourage you to stick to your goals, and will put your clients at ease.

Be the bigger person.

After being yelled at, your automatic instinct may be to defend yourself. It is important, however, that you refrain from doing this. While being confronted by an angry client, show that you are listening actively rather than mentally preparing a rebuttal. Here are a few tips on how to do this:

Put aside distracting thoughts

Do not interrupt

Make eye contact

Use phrases like “I understand…”

Ask clarifying questions

Emphasize their points to show understanding

Maintain an open and welcoming posture (sit up-right and don’t cross your arms)

Actively listening will help you develop appropriate solutions, as well as make your client feel comfortable and cared for, thus improving the situation as well as your relationship.

Find common ground.

Focusing only on the points you disagree on will get you nowhere; it will increase the tension between you two and decrease the likelihood of reaching a resolution. Instead, start by going through what you do agree on, and discuss the situation from there. For example, if your client is angry about how their photos came out, have them address specifics and note those that you agree with. Perhaps you also think the lighting in one of the photos is too dark, or the background was too blurry in another shot. Let your client know that you’re on the same page, and discuss possible options such as getting together for another shoot, or editing the photos differently. Your client will be very pleased that you are taking their concerns into consideration, and will be more likely to recommend you to someone they know.

When taking this tip into consideration, however, it is important that you don’t just agree with your client for the the sake of agreeing, because this can add fuel into the fire. Instead, acknowledge their opinions and only agree with the points you truly believe are justified.

Be very specific.

Something that often upsets clients is the lack of concrete details. When it comes to photography this typically involves communicating concrete prices, plans, and timelines. If a client is distressed by the bad weather on the day of their outdoor photoshoot, provide them with a detailed plan of how you will adapt to this. Knowing that you have a plan rather than being ensured that “We’ll figure it out”, or “It will be fine”, will calm your client down.

Recognize personality conflicts.

Perhaps you tried all of these tips and nothing seems to work. You and your client simply cannot agree or get along no matter how hard you try. In situations like this, you must reflect upon whether or not you are the right fit for one another. Photographers aren’t “one-size fits all”, so it is possible that you will have to part ways. In this case, try recommending other photographers that you believe will be a good fit for them. Your client will appreciate your honesty and your dedicated effort to help them find what they are looking for.

We hope that you don’t have to deal with difficult clients too often, but if you do, try putting these tips into practice. We’re sure you’ll be glad you did! If you have any other tips, tweet them @photos_of_us, we’d love to hear them!

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