How to Handle Difficult Clients

To handle a difficult client, first name the actual problem: unclear expectations, a project that keeps growing, slow payment, or how the client treats you and your team. Then answer each one the same way every time: calmly, in writing, and with a reference back to what was agreed. When the work changes, price the change before you do it. When payment is late, follow a routine instead of a mood. And if a relationship still isn't working, end it cleanly and in writing.

This page is about the client relationship. For the detail on growing projects, see how to handle scope creep. For a disputed invoice, see common invoice disputes and how to resolve them. For unpaid bills, see late payment policies and collecting money from clients who won't pay.

Work out which kind of difficult it is

The fix depends on the cause, so sort the problem before you respond:

• Unclear expectations: the client expected something the agreement never said. The answer is a clearer written scope.
• A growing project: the client keeps adding requests. The answer is a priced change for each one.
• Slow payment: the work is accepted but the invoice sits unpaid. The answer is a fixed follow-up routine.
• Poor treatment: shouting, constant out-of-hours messages, or rudeness to your staff. The answer is a clear boundary, and sometimes ending the work.

A client can fit more than one of these. Deal with each separately, so a payment problem doesn't turn into an argument about quality.

Answer in writing, calmly

When a client is upset, reply with three things: what you understood their concern to be, what you'll do, and by when. Keep it short and keep feelings out of it. If the conversation happened on a call, send a summary afterward so both sides have the same record.

Avoid arguing about who was right. Point to the document you both agreed on, such as the estimate, the proposal or the contract, and work from what it says.

Put the scope in writing before the work starts

Disagreements can be hard to settle when nobody wrote the scope down. Before you begin, send a quote that lists what's included, what isn't, the revisions included, and when payment is due. Billed's features page says "your clients can approve or reject your estimates online." Once the client has approved the scope in writing, that approval is what you refer back to.

Price every change before you do it

When a client asks for something outside the agreed scope, say yes to the request and no to doing it at no charge: reply with what it will cost and how it moves the deadline, and wait for their go-ahead. Small favors done without a price can set the expectation that the next one costs nothing too.

Follow up on late payment with a routine

Set the due date on every invoice and follow the same steps each time, so chasing payment doesn't depend on how you feel about the client that week. Billed's invoice software page says: "Set a due date on each invoice so your client knows when to pay." Billed's help center says: "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date."

If reminders don't work, a short phone call can show whether the problem is a lost invoice, a cash shortfall or a dispute. For anything beyond that, such as a collection agency or a claim, ask a lawyer before you act.

Protect your team

If a client is abusive to anyone working for you, step in yourself. Tell the client which behavior has to stop, move their contact to one named person, and keep a written record of what happened. Your team should never have to choose between a client's demands and being treated with respect.

Worked example: pricing a change request

Sample figures: a client approved a website refresh at $2,600.00. Halfway through, they ask for two extra pages. You estimate 6 hours at your rate of $75.00 an hour, so the change costs 6 × $75.00 = $450.00. You send the change for approval before starting it. Once approved, the project comes to $2,600.00 + $450.00 = $3,050.00, and both of you have a written record of why it went up.

When to end the relationship

Consider ending the work when the same problems keep coming back after you've addressed them in writing, when payment problems put your business at risk, or when the client mistreats your team. Before you end it, read what your agreement says about ending the work and about payment for work already done, and ask a lawyer if you're unsure what you can do. Then tell the client in writing, finish or hand over any agreed deliverables, and send a final invoice for the work completed.

Where Billed fits

Billed can keep the paper trail in one place. Billed's invoice software page describes Invoice Chat this way: "Talk to your client about an invoice in one place, without leaving your dashboard." It also says you can "Add files to your invoices and estimates.", so a scope document or a change approval can travel with the invoice it relates to.

Mistakes to avoid

• Starting extra work while its price is still unapproved
• Arguing over the phone and leaving no written summary
• Chasing late payment on some invoices but not others
• Letting a client's behavior toward your staff go unanswered
• Ending a client relationship without checking what your agreement says

When this guide isn't for you

If a dispute has already turned into a legal claim, or a client is threatening one, talk to a lawyer instead of following general advice.

Related Articles

• How to handle scope creep
• Common invoice disputes and how to resolve them
• Late payment policies
• How to collect money from clients who won't pay

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set boundaries with a demanding client?

Put the boundary in writing: your working hours, how fast you reply, and what the price covers. Then apply it the same way every time, and price any request that falls outside it before you start.

When should I stop working with a difficult client?

When the same problems keep coming back after you've raised them in writing, when late payment puts your business at risk, or when the client mistreats your team. Check what your agreement says about ending the work first, and ask a lawyer if you're unsure.

What can I do at the start of a project to avoid problems later?

Settle the scope, the included revisions and how you'll be paid, in writing, before any work begins, and follow every important call with a written summary.

Can Billed send payment reminders for me?

Billed's help center says: "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date."