The freelancer-to-client relationship is a tricky thing to deal with. Your ability to work with different types of clients will determine how successful your freelance career is. The most typical client traits that could ruin your creative career are broken down here to help you deal with this troublesome area.
The uninformed client never ceases to astound you with their ignorance of your work In defense of them, they typically represent an older generation. Despite their potential for kindness and patience, they present a particular set of difficulties. The Oblivious don’t have a Facebook account, so you can’t message them there.
They seek reassurance that they are receiving fair treatment. Unfortunately, this client has experienced abuse because of their ignorance in the past, and they fear that you will do the same to them. Be patient with the Oblivious. Although communicating with them may take more time, they can be an absolute pleasure to work for.
Knowing-It-All clients are easy to spot because you will despise them as soon as you meet them. They are the ones who, despite appearing to be perfectly capable of performing your duties, for some reason hired you. They will interrupt you while you are speaking and won’t change their minds once a decision has been made.
The Helper wants to be involved in the work. They have a lot of energy that needs to be channeled in a positive and useful way. Give a Helper the chance to help you if they want to. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to hone your delegation and teamwork abilities while also accelerating your work for this client. When working with a Helper:
They only require a high-quality final product to be delivered in a reasonable amount of time. Usually, the work you do for them is just a small part of a much larger scheme. For the next two months, the Delegator won’t be available to meet, so your work will have to speak on your behalf. When working with a Delegator:
Give them a document. Unless they have assigned the paperwork to someone else, this type of client is much better at handling paperwork than they are at handling human interaction. You can inform them without taking up too much of their time by giving them a written report.
- Uncertain clients. Some clients may not know exactly what they want from your business. …
- Urgent clients. …
- Unresponsive clients. …
- Unrealistic clients. …
- Empathetic clients. …
- Clients concerned with costs. …
- Clients who monitor your work closely. …
- Clients who request changes after delivery.
Why is it important to understand different types of clients?
Your business can better serve each client by tailoring its approach, services, and assistance if it has an understanding of the various types of customers. Businesses frequently cater to customers with a variety of needs, desires, and personalities. Businesses that are aware of the various traits, expectations, and preferences of their customers can:
17 types of clients and how to work with them
Here are 17 different client types you might deal with along with effective communication techniques for each:
1. Uncertain clients
Some customers might not be completely certain what they want from your company. These clients may know exactly what they do not want but may find it difficult to express their expectations to you.
When dealing with unsure clients, assist them in choosing the most appropriate strategies or elements for their needs as a business. Once decisions have been made, put them in writing, and ask the client to review them so that you both understand what comes next.
2. Urgent clients
Quick deadlines are frequently requested by urgent clients for your deliverables or services. These customers might be concerned about being behind schedule with their own transactions or projects and want to streamline your business more quickly than is possible.
Ask your client about their sense of urgency if they are eager to receive deliverables or services. Find out if they are working on a specific assignment and how strict the deadline is. Inform your client of any time restrictions you may have, such as working hours or pending work from other clients. Together with the client, create a realistic and workable schedule.
3. Unresponsive clients
Working with clients who don’t respond to your emails, phone calls, or other communications for weeks or months at a time is possible occasionally. When a client of this type returns, they might exhibit a sudden increase in urgency and demand that meetings or project updates take place right away.
Write down specific expectations at the beginning of your business interactions with clients to deal with their periods of non-responsiveness. If the client stops responding while you’re working together, gently remind them of these standards and how crucial it is to stick to the timeline for both of your schedules.
4. Unrealistic clients
Customers with high expectations frequently have ambitious plans for the future of their businesses, as well as other forward-thinking initiatives. However, occasionally these customers might request services that are outside the scope of what your company can offer.
Establish clear parameters with these clients about your businesss abilities. Tell them about your best products or services and go over reasonable expectations with them. Create agendas for your meetings that the client can review and add topics to in advance if you regularly consult with the client. Setting an agenda in advance can assist in keeping your client focused on the important topics and concepts.
5. Empathetic clients
Empathetic clients relate to how others are feeling. They typically relish social interactions and might be very enthusiastic and supportive of you. However, an understanding client might find it difficult to voice their concerns or speak up if they want a particular aspect of your services changed. They might also struggle with receiving constructive advice.
By paying close attention to your clients’ ideas, you can demonstrate to them that you care about their needs. During conversations, take notes and incorporate their suggestions or advice into your services. Inform these clients that you are open to receiving criticism and engaging in fruitful discussions about how to come up with solutions that are beneficial to both of you. If you must provide sympathetic clients with feedback, do so in a way that takes their feelings into account. Be sure to also draw attention to the favorable aspects of your working relationship with the client or the aspects of your project that have been receiving favorable reviews from them.
6. Clients concerned with costs
Understandably, the majority of customers demand high-quality offerings that are worthy of their money. Nevertheless, you might occasionally work with clients who are very concerned about exact costs. This can be difficult if your line of work involves providing cost estimates upfront and actual costs following the completion of your services.
Choose the project’s scope before working with this type of client. The most likely possible variations between the actual costs and the estimated costs should be discussed in advance. Before delivering your services, consent to any supplementary features or extras.
7. Clients who monitor your work closely
Some customers check in frequently or request project updates more quickly than your company is actually making progress on its work for them. These clients may frequently inquire about minor details of your collaboration or express doubt regarding the majority of the project’s components.
Establish boundaries with this type of client. Schedule regular meetings in advance, or establish a time when you will answer calls and emails. By providing information about or examples of your prior work, you can demonstrate to them that you are a professional in your field. Communicate clearly and honestly about the capabilities, successes, and practices of your organization. Assure these customers that your company can meet their needs and expectations.
8. Clients who request changes after delivery
Periodically, clients who want their services or products changed after completion may work with your company. They might ask you to redo a certain part of the project or the entire thing.
Make sure the client is aware of the logistical implications before implementing the requested changes. Ensure the customer that you want your goods or services to live up to their expectations, but be upfront about how any changes could result in higher costs or a longer delivery schedule.
9. Indecisive clients
Another type of client is one who has trouble deciding. These customers might request that you decide on all options for services, improvements, or project strategies. Alternatively, unreliable clients might frequently provide you with conflicting information or cause delays involving significant decisions.
Help these clients by recommending the options you think are most appropriate for their requirements. To reduce the number of decisions your client needs to make, consult with your coworkers rather than them when making more secondary or minor decisions. As decisions are reached, put them in writing and ask the client to review them so that everyone is on the same page.
10. Efficient clients
Highly efficient clients keep their communications brief and direct. Most of the time, they are very clear about what they want, and they don’t like to be surprised by your products or services.
Keep your conversations with your highly effective clients brief and to the point. To assist your client in making educated decisions, prepare thorough summaries of the various options. Provide this client with relevant information, facts, or endorsements whenever possible to demonstrate the value of your services.
11. Traditional clients
Traditional clients want things to mostly stay the same. These customers may have worked as professionals for a long time and demand certain services or goods. Even if the changes to their operations could have long-term advantages, they might still be resistant to them.
When working with traditional clients, be sure to explain the motivations for and advantages of your practices, methods, or products. Encourage them to appreciate the value of modernized processes while sympathizing with their concerns regarding more traditional methods.
12. Clients who work overtime
Some customers who operate outside of regular business hours might anticipate that you will do the same. These customers might get in touch with you on the weekends or at odd hours. Additionally, they might ask for meetings or project deadlines outside of your company’s regular business hours.
Establish clear hours or time frames before you start working together if your clients ask you to work overtime. Be adamant about only returning messages, setting up meetings, and delivering deliverables during the operating hours of your company. As you work to create a timeline that suits both of you, ask your clients if their urgency is related to a particular need or project at their own company.
13. Trendy clients
Trendy customers are frequently knowledgeable about the newest business strategies, approaches, or products They could use their information to make wise decisions about the products and services your company offers. These clients could, however, also request business trends that are unclear or only marginally beneficial to their specific expectations.
Make sure these clients comprehend the relationship between the trends they request and their own business requirements. Explain your concerns and provide them with alternatives that you believe would add more value to their company if you are unsure of how the trend will benefit their industry.
14. Clients who work on committees
Some clients typically make decisions by committees rather than themselves. These clients most often work at larger organizations or enterprises. While having your clients make decisions with others can help them make better decisions, this can occasionally cause delays in your operations or production schedule.
Ask if you can work with a single company representative for the majority or all of your communications if your client wants to consult with their committee on all options. If that seems difficult, ask that the key participants in your company’s project attend all meetings and/or be copied on all correspondence.
15. Clients with negative experiences
Some clients may have challenging experiences with your business. These customers may occasionally provide unfavorable reviews on your website or on external review websites for other companies.
Reach out to these clients personally to offer your sympathy. Explain what you are doing to improve your services, products, or operations in light of their complaints and extend an apology for their unpleasant experience. You might also think about making them an exclusive offer, like a special coupon code or promotional deal.
16. Clients concerned about security
Today’s clients naturally worry about security risks like cyberattacks. However, if the client is reluctant to give you the necessary information, this could pose problems for your business. For instance, your business might need access to a client’s website, but the client might be reluctant to provide their passwords due to security concerns.
Provide your clients with documentation or explanations of your company’s security network and systems if they are concerned about security threats. You may want to update your security measures, such as by making passwords stronger or encrypting routers, depending on the current security measures in place for your company.
17. Clients with personal connections
You occasionally may work with clients who have personal connections to your business despite the fact that your business only has professional relationships with clients. These clients might be friends with you, a colleague, or a senior executive outside of work. While having personal connections can have some advantages in the workplace, they can also present difficulties. A customer who is also a family friend might anticipate receiving a special discount or other business-related favors, for instance.
Whether this type of client has a personal connection to you or another employee at your business will determine how you handle them. If you have a personal relationship with the client, establish boundaries between the two right away. For example, limit your assistance to business-related issues only during business hours. Establish a professional tone with the client right away if there is a personal relationship between them and another employee of the business.
Top 4 Types of Clients. How to talk effectively with each!
FAQ
What are the 3 types of clients?
…
The four primary customer types are:
- Price buyers. …
- Relationship buyers. …
- Value buyers. …
- Poker player buyers.
How do you categorize clients?
The three main client personality types you’re likely to run into in your work as a wealth advisor are fixers, survivors, and protectors.
What are the 5 customer types?
- Determine your customer segmentation goals. …
- Segment your customers into groups of your choice. …
- Target and reach your customer segments. …
- Run customer segmentation analysis.
