Losing a Client
April 29th, 2010 by Sue L CanfieldEarlier this week a fellow virtual assistant asked what to do when you lose a client due to an error. I replied, “even if you’ve already lost the client, apologize and do what you can to fix it and make it up. Use it as a lesson for your business. Be open and honest about it. People appreciate that. Then move on. Don’t dwell on it. Use the experience to make your business even better.”
Other comments included:
1. Do all possible to correct the situation.
2. Ask the client what you can do to make things good.
3. Learn from the mistake and think of ways to avoid it in the future.
4. We all make mistakes, that’s how we learn.
This virtual assistant has done all she can and is moving on. This is exactly the right thing to do. Though it’s never easy to lose a client, once we’ve done all we can it’s important to move on. We don’t want to allow negative energy to be drawn away from our existing clients.
Thoughts, comments, suggestions?
April 29th, 2010 at 11:50 am
One of my best clients dropped me after years of working together – my feelings were so hurt! I really took in personally.
April 29th, 2010 at 11:53 am
It is hard when a client lets us go for whatever reason. It’s hard not to take it personally. It’s also important not to allow it to get us down to the point that we allow our existing client work to suffer.
April 29th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Yeah, it’s painful when it feels like someone’s letting us go. Usually there’s some reason that’s not personal at all, and that can make it easier to bear.
But even if it’s completely personal, I’ve realised that if someone doesn’t want to work with me, we’ll both be happier if we just part ways.
Easier said than done, though.
April 29th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
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