Waving polite goodbyes

By Linda Julian

Often, we spend so much time at winning work that we don't take time to think about whether we have clients who should be waved a "polite goodbye".

It may be time to farewell a client if:

• they haggle over bills, are delinquent payers, or don't pay at all
• their work is really not your "cup of tea" - either in an area not of interest to you, or unlikely to be profitable, or excessively risky
• conflicts of interest preclude you from acting for others who would be better fit
• they don't fit your culture, size, geography, and service delivery system
• the client is likely to be connected with lots of bad situations and adverse publicity which may indirectly attach to you
• they aren't happy with your work, and whatever you do you can't please them.

By weeding out your clients and selectively referring them elsewhere, you will be able to grow a more impressive client base.

And, maybe by referring them elsewhere you will eliminate a problem from your life, and give another professional who may be more an appropriate source of service a reason to do you favours in the future !