Can you care too much about clients?

May 5, 2011 by Alycia Edgar 

By Alycia Edgar, Coastal Accounting Services

What advice would you give a friend who is so wrapped in someone they haven’t noticed the other person doesn’t feel the same? You’d tell them to take a step back, put themselves first and let the other one come to their senses, right?

Well the same goes for business. I know I care more than the average service provider about my clients – and most of my clients work with me for that reason. But there’s the odd occasion where I care too much for them, if you know what I mean?

You might be thinking this scenario sounds a little bit odd, but depending on the profession you’re in or the service you provide, there are times when you discover something that should be of interest to your client, but they just don’t want to hear it. For me that has been quite a hard lesson to learn. Sometimes you need to be able to step back, realising that perhaps, as a service provider, even though you’re supplying the best information to the client, it’s just that the client is not in the right place to hear it.

Whether they’ve got their head in the sand when it comes to their business or they’re focused on other more exciting things; or their care factor being low due to their business diminishing, or doing it too long and they’ve lost their drive, there are various factors that come into it. These factors are not your doing, but can affect the relationship you have with that client.

When you are a caring service provider it can be really hard when you’re trying to tell your clients what you believe they need to hear, but they don’t want to listen. It can be heartbreaking because you are passionate about what you do, and really care that your clients thrive. But sometimes you just need to walk away. Down the track, perhaps, there will be a time where they are willing to hear it, but sometimes that chance may never arrive and you just have to accept that and move on.

If this does happen, accept that you can’t help your client at that point in time, as hard as it may be for you. You’ve just got to let it go – and maybe even let them go as a client – because you know you can’t help them.

When you really care about your clients and they don’t care, how do you deal with that? What do you do?

MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY ALYCIA EDGAR

Alycia Edgar - Coastal Accounting Services

As an accountant and former surf shop owner Alycia understands the issues that small business face everyday. She believes you can work on your business effectively simply by understanding your business numbers. She creates innovative systems and processes that enable business owners to be highly focused and productive in their business, including Bookzkeeper – The Accounting Survival Kit for Small Business. To get tips on how your numbers relate to working on your business, simply visit here

Phone: 0403 983 529
Email: alycia@coastalaccounting.com.au
Twitter: @alyciaedgar
Blog: www.numbersarelife.com
Member Profile: See Alycia’s Member Profile

 

Filed Under Customer Service, Featured, Grow Your Business, Leadership
Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Comments

2 Responses to “Can you care too much about clients?”

  1. Jeannie Spiro on June 20th, 2011 10:34 am


    Really nice post and reminder that even with the best of our intentions (and suggestions) often times people aren’t ready.

    I’m a coach and I’ve learned that sometimes we really want our clients to be ready for what we have to tell them but they’re just not there yet. I’ve learned to approach each person differently. Although I teach a program I really personalize my work. Sometimes I find it’s about facing fears and other times it’s about being ready. Each person is different and that needs to be taken into account. Ultimately what we want is for our clients to be successful. Patience and understanding came really help.

  2. aedgar on June 28th, 2011 7:00 am


    Thanks Jenny, I agree. People are interesting creatures and what may not be comprehendible to work on or work through at one point 6 months down the track it can come more naturally to them. Some clients bolt along the track, check back in get the next stage of the journey and their off again. Others require more clear direction to start off on the track, where are the traffic lights, which turn do I make here, hang on that’s a stop sign I’m stopping here. And others bolt off down the track get off course and aren’t willing to listen to directions to get back on track. It’s that fine balance of knowing when to encourage, support and motivate forward and when to support by letting go.