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Lilah
Student
Imperial, California
3
Questions
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Do you have to be nice to all your clients?
I'm in 8th grader I'm 14 years old
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Bob Stevens
Creative, Design, Writing, Marketing, Advertising, Digital
6
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Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Updated
Bob’s Answer
I wish more people would consider asking this. What a great question!
You should treat all of your clients with respect, kindness, and understanding. It's what professionalism is all about. However, "being nice," doesn't mean allowing your clients to be unkind to you.
You asked specifically about clients. That's important to think about. If you have clients, you're providing them with a service. Your job will be service-based. Your clients will receive that service. In other words, you're choosing a position to serve the needs of others. You're choosing to help others by using your abilities and skills to serve their needs, not yours.
Hairdressers, doctors, personal trainers, consultants, real estate agents, caterers, photographers... all are service-based careers. Even someone who works in a coffee shop is working in the service of others. During their day, some customers complain because they're only thinking about themselves, or they're rude when an order is wrong, while other customers are patient, kind, and even laugh when their order is wrong. Through it all, that person working in the coffee shop treats all of them with the same warm smile, friendly greeting, and politeness. That's a professional. No matter what personal feelings or disagreements arise, it's always in your best interest to be polite, responsive, and attentive to their needs.
To be clear, just because you're serving others doesn't mean you're in a lower position than they are. No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you should be treated as an equal. And if someone treats you poorly you have every right to stand up for yourself. Being kind doesn't mean sacrificing your self-confidence.
The other part of your question was if you have to be nice to ALL your clients. This assumes you will have great clients and bad clients. So, what if you were able to choose? What if you decided you only wanted to work with great clients.
It's not an easy road, but it's possible.
The best way to avoid "bad clients" is to never work for one. This sounds simple, but it's something you develop with experience. In the business world this is called "qualifying leads." A lead is a potential client who has a need that fits the service you provide. Qualifying them is the process of understanding if that working relationship will be a good fit for both parties.
Essentially you want to set boundaries before you even begin working together. Not only will this help you avoid difficult personalities (annoying people), but it will also help you project professionalism. Bad clients don't like working within boundaries. If they can't get their way, they won't hire you. And that's good! Great clients will respect your boundaries, and many will even recommend you because of that professionalism.
As a marketing professional, part of my job is to help companies identify their IDEAL customer (client), and create a business that only attracts the best customers they could want. You can also start making a list of the qualities of your dream client. After you have it, ask yourself what would attract them to choose you?
Hope this helps you succeed in everything you do, not just your career. There's a wealth of books, videos, trainings, and consultants that cover how to develop great client relationships. Keep asking wonderful questions like this and you will certainly be ahead of the game!
Consider people in your life you admire. Are they kind? What if your clients looked at you the same way?
What are the ways you've seen someone show kindness when you'd expect them to get upset?
What effect do you think being kind to a person who doesn't deserve it has on them?
You should treat all of your clients with respect, kindness, and understanding. It's what professionalism is all about. However, "being nice," doesn't mean allowing your clients to be unkind to you.
You asked specifically about clients. That's important to think about. If you have clients, you're providing them with a service. Your job will be service-based. Your clients will receive that service. In other words, you're choosing a position to serve the needs of others. You're choosing to help others by using your abilities and skills to serve their needs, not yours.
Hairdressers, doctors, personal trainers, consultants, real estate agents, caterers, photographers... all are service-based careers. Even someone who works in a coffee shop is working in the service of others. During their day, some customers complain because they're only thinking about themselves, or they're rude when an order is wrong, while other customers are patient, kind, and even laugh when their order is wrong. Through it all, that person working in the coffee shop treats all of them with the same warm smile, friendly greeting, and politeness. That's a professional. No matter what personal feelings or disagreements arise, it's always in your best interest to be polite, responsive, and attentive to their needs.
To be clear, just because you're serving others doesn't mean you're in a lower position than they are. No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you should be treated as an equal. And if someone treats you poorly you have every right to stand up for yourself. Being kind doesn't mean sacrificing your self-confidence.
The other part of your question was if you have to be nice to ALL your clients. This assumes you will have great clients and bad clients. So, what if you were able to choose? What if you decided you only wanted to work with great clients.
It's not an easy road, but it's possible.
The best way to avoid "bad clients" is to never work for one. This sounds simple, but it's something you develop with experience. In the business world this is called "qualifying leads." A lead is a potential client who has a need that fits the service you provide. Qualifying them is the process of understanding if that working relationship will be a good fit for both parties.
Essentially you want to set boundaries before you even begin working together. Not only will this help you avoid difficult personalities (annoying people), but it will also help you project professionalism. Bad clients don't like working within boundaries. If they can't get their way, they won't hire you. And that's good! Great clients will respect your boundaries, and many will even recommend you because of that professionalism.
As a marketing professional, part of my job is to help companies identify their IDEAL customer (client), and create a business that only attracts the best customers they could want. You can also start making a list of the qualities of your dream client. After you have it, ask yourself what would attract them to choose you?
Hope this helps you succeed in everything you do, not just your career. There's a wealth of books, videos, trainings, and consultants that cover how to develop great client relationships. Keep asking wonderful questions like this and you will certainly be ahead of the game!
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