Advice regarding an Unbearable Client I don’t want to lose

[Juris Eksts]

(re that they’re not happy) In that case, I think you should point them towards this discussion, and let them make up their own minds, – do nothing and live with it, or let you (or someone else) deal with it.

[Bob Cole]

You’re encouraging bad behavior by giving away tech support. Why on earth would any sane employer change, when they get 20 hours of support for 10 hours of pay? They avoid paying for new equipment and integration, AND they aren’t paying the price for their avoidance – you are.

I detect a lot of resentment in the way you’ve described the situation, and that’s not healthy for you. And, you’re ready to quit anyway, right? So change the dynamics.

“Thanks for the opportunity to work with you. I’ve enjoyed the experience. Having learned the system, I can see that there are some equipment issues that are more than I can solve by taking the occasional phone call. And I’m concerned about the reliability of the system for your clients, because I may not always be available when you need tech support. You could eliminate the need for tech support by upgrading the system. You might want to discuss this with X, Y, or Z (AV specialists). I’m still happy to do tech support over the phone, but in fairness to my other clients and to myself, I’ll have to start charging by the hour.”

Or you can just say “I quit!”

[Chuck Pullen]

Do what I did… build your own HD rack, learning from their mistakes, take all of their clients, and BURY THEM!

It feels great!

Chuck

[Grinner Hester]

How do you deal with a unbearable non understanding client that pays well?
I don’t. I simply measure if the pay is worth any non-fun moments in the workflow. It it isn’t, I’ll just be booked the next time they call. If it is, we’ll it’s worth it and therefor quite bearable.

[Patrick Ortman]

>>You’re encouraging bad behavior by giving away tech support.<< Bob nailed it. It's a slippery slope, though, balancing good client relations with that. My philosophy is, if I get an occasional question from a paying client that takes less than 30 minutes to answer, I'm happy to give that away. When it becomes a constant stream of questions and is something they should be paying for, which it clearly has become in your case, I gently bring up our policy and ask if they mind if we bill them in 15 minute increments for our time. You must make a living, and you can't encourage bad behavior. And who knows, maybe all those other video guys quit before asking the client for fair payment, just out of frustration. Sure, maybe not, but if you never ask, you never get. ---------------------------- PatrickOrtman, Inc.
Los Angeles Digital Agency and Video Production Company

[Dylan Hargreaves]

You need to sit down and have a conversation with them. Adult to adult.

I’m detecting a certain amount of fear and reluctance from you to take the issue by the horns. This shouldn’t be the case. You’re not a recent graduate, you’re a professional with 10 years experience. You also understand the system which gives you a certain amount of power as I suspect it’s not that easy for them to find and slot in a replacement if they gave you the boot. Especially not with the workflow they’ve got.

So yeah, tell the boss you need to chat. Set out the situation and tell him it urgently needs addressing or else the integrity of his operation is seriously compromised.

Tell him that fixing it won’t be free, or necessarily that cheap, but you can make it cost effective. And if he gives you the old ‘eff it, just fix it’, be prepared to walk.

Sometimes, no amount of money is worth the hassle.

[Mick Haensler]

Well said Dylan.

Mick Haensler
Higher Ground Media

[Donell Hall]

Hello again everyone, just popped back in to let you know how I handled it.

Just to clarify my problem was not reluctance to speak to the client. When you go through 12 video guys and 8 audio guys..the problem of communication probably sits firmly at your feet. Unless they have just been incredibly unlucky. My issue was mostly how much effort should I put forth to a client who clearly doesnt understand or care how this relationship should work.

Many of you hit it firmly on the head and I have choosen the route of submitting a end of season report that had all the fixes that I think we should go through. I also told them I would be happy to sit down and discuss each one in detail if they scheduled one (they havent and probably will never)I have since told them I am only available through email on days I am not scheduled to be there.

I am now in full, put my head down, cash my check and say thank you option until I get let go, in which I will say thank you for the opportunity and be on my way. I patch everything together as best I can for the shows but the very second its over they become out of sight out of mind.

I firmly think you can not care MORE than what the client does or risk a mental breakdown.

I feel good that I gave them some options and the ball is in their court as for exercising them. If they want everything to stay the same..so be it..I will cash my checks, pay my bills and be happy.

Thanks for all the input.