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What's a Virtual Assistant?

A Virtual Assistant is a business owner who provides administrative support and specialized services to assist businesses and executives with their overflow. A Virtual Assistant can handle any task that is usually handled by an in house employee, but unlike an employee, a Virtual Assistant shares your goals to succeed in business -- we only succeed if our clients succeed.

Is the Customer Always Right?

Many business owners would say that this statement is true without a doubt. No matter what the issue or what the expense, the client is always right and every remedy should be made to ensure that the client is always satisfied. I would love to challenge you to think about the following situations and determine if you still think the client is always right.

1. The Customer/Client that Challenges Your Boundaries.

As a business owner it is important to determine boundaries for your business. These boundaries would include such things as; hours you are available to your clients, projects you are willing to undertake, pricing policies, turnaround times, etc.. When a client continually expects you to step outside these boundaries and challenges you when you stand behind your boundaries, is it necessary to allow them to be right? For example, if you stated to a client that your turnaround time was three business days and anything under that time was considered a rush job and subject to premiums, when your client insisted that a job be done within two days and then was unwilling to pay your rush premiums, would you fight to obtain those premiums?

2. The Client that is Never Satisfied.

We have all dealt with one of those clients before, I am sure that you know the ones I am talking about. I call them the "suckers" ... they suck everything out of you so that there isn't much left for the other clients. This is the client that changes their mind constantly, that is always right (even when they are wrong) and that never seems happy with anything.

3. The Client that is Bad for Business.

So many of us can remember that client that something just didn't feel right, but we decided to work with them anyways. The biggest lesson that can be learned from working in a situation such as this one is to always go with your gut. Don't ever be afraid to fire a client, especially a client that is effecting the value of our work for the other clients.

4. The Client that Makes us Unhappy.

Remember the reason you started your own business was to make your own decisions and to work with who you wanted, when you wanted, doing what you wanted. The minute that a client makes you not want to answer their phone calls, not want to answer their emails or worse yet not enjoy working with them or on their file, it is time to part your ways.

Of course, each situation and answer is not cut and dry. Many times it depends on a variety of circumstances such as who the client is, what was stated in writing and verbally, how determined you are to "stick to your guns" and how much there is to lose if the situation is reversed or if you stick to your guns. Remember that when determining if the client is right, do what feels right to you and your business and don't ever let a client "bully" you into doing something that goes against your personal and business ethics. I challenge you to answer this simple question when determining if your client is always right .... What is the worst thing that they could do to you and your business if they were told they were wrong?
 

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