- PPF Points
- 2,888
Dealing with those high-maintenance clients—it’s like a rite of passage, right? Back when I started, I’d take every snippy email or last-second change as a personal attack. Seriously, I thought they were out to get me. Turns out, it’s usually just them being stressed, confused, or, let’s be real, a little bit chaotic upstairs. Took me a while (and more than a few late-night rants) to figure out it’s not about me—it’s just the gig.
What actually helped? I stopped seeing every disagreement as a battle I had to win. Instead, I started thinking, “Alright, how do I get this person to trust me?” (Pro tip: works way better for your blood pressure.) Most clients, even the wild ones, just want things to work out. Their way of showing it? Eh, not always ideal, but whatever.
So these days, I’m all about setting boundaries early. Contracts, scope, all the boring grown-up stuff—lock that down. I’ll literally say, “Hey, here’s how we handle changes, here’s when you can expect responses, blah blah.” And when they inevitably ask for something out of left field, I’ll just point back to what we agreed on. No drama, just “Hey, remember the deal? Adding this will push the deadline.” It’s amazing how just being chill and sticking to the facts can stop things from spiraling.
Also, listening. Like, actually listening, not just nodding while you’re thinking about lunch. Sometimes these clients just want to vent, or they’re nervous and need to know you’re not ignoring them. I’ll repeat back what I’m hearing, ask a few questions, and let them rant if they need to. No joke, half the time, once they feel like someone gets it, they calm right down.
But hey, sometimes a client’s demands get so wild you gotta ask yourself, “Is this worth it?” There’s a line—if they’re tanking the project or making your life hell, maybe it’s time to push back hard…or even bounce. No project’s worth losing your sanity, trust me.
What actually helped? I stopped seeing every disagreement as a battle I had to win. Instead, I started thinking, “Alright, how do I get this person to trust me?” (Pro tip: works way better for your blood pressure.) Most clients, even the wild ones, just want things to work out. Their way of showing it? Eh, not always ideal, but whatever.
So these days, I’m all about setting boundaries early. Contracts, scope, all the boring grown-up stuff—lock that down. I’ll literally say, “Hey, here’s how we handle changes, here’s when you can expect responses, blah blah.” And when they inevitably ask for something out of left field, I’ll just point back to what we agreed on. No drama, just “Hey, remember the deal? Adding this will push the deadline.” It’s amazing how just being chill and sticking to the facts can stop things from spiraling.
Also, listening. Like, actually listening, not just nodding while you’re thinking about lunch. Sometimes these clients just want to vent, or they’re nervous and need to know you’re not ignoring them. I’ll repeat back what I’m hearing, ask a few questions, and let them rant if they need to. No joke, half the time, once they feel like someone gets it, they calm right down.
But hey, sometimes a client’s demands get so wild you gotta ask yourself, “Is this worth it?” There’s a line—if they’re tanking the project or making your life hell, maybe it’s time to push back hard…or even bounce. No project’s worth losing your sanity, trust me.
