Businesses make significant efforts to secure clients. The continuous flow of customers plays a crucial role in the success of a business. That is why the thought of rejecting someone who contacted you might seem preposterous at first.
As you grow in your business, you eventually reach a point where you will have to turn down a client. Some clients can truly hurt your business; saying no to them works out for you in the end. Sure, you might think that more clients mean more cash-flow. But you can only take so many at a time before stretching yourself out!
It is essential to understand your limits. But turning down a client should be done with care. You would not want to come off rude or inconsiderate. Here are some tips to help you with the situation.
Be Prompt
You might receive their project request digitally, or they might come to see you. Regardless, you will have a rough idea of whether you can take up their project right now or not. If you have many projects lined up, it is wise to say no to more.
Communicate back through the same channel by which you were contacted. Revert by mail or a message only if you find your schedule too packed to call them up or meet them personally. Do not keep them waiting for an answer for too long. They might have liked you and could be considering you as their final option. Be prompt with your reply to turn them down so that they can search for other options without wasting time.
Appreciate The Client
Appreciate the efforts taken by the client to contact you. Do mention your gratitude in whichever way you choose to revert to them. Stay professional and polite but take up a friendly tone.
The client would not want to be treated as some option that you did not take. Making connections are valuable. Being polite and appreciative will help you establish a good image. This practice will increase their chances of returning to you again or referring someone else to you in the future.
Provide A Valid Reason
While turning down, provide a valid reason so that the client can understand the situation better. Do not dive too deep into the explanation. Make it short and to the point, leaving no room for misinterpretation while maintaining an overall positive tone.
Clear communication is key in maintaining a healthy client-contractor relationship. Here are a few more tips to help build a healthy relation.
Put Forward An Alternative
To ensure that the client does not have a bad experience getting in touch with you, try to suggest an alternate route.
For starters, if you have your hands full at the moment, ask them to reschedule a month or so. This way, both parties can go happy with the deal.
If that is not possible, suggest to them a fellow contractor who can give them a similar work quality. Helping a fellow contractor will establish good relations between you and your competitor.
These will help you decline a potential client politely. Rejecting the request on good terms is important as it will leave the door for future collaborations open.
Follow our blogs at CustomFin to get the best out of your business and improve its growth. We also link with contractors to provide financial solutions to their clients.
