Shaun Rein, Managing Director of the China Market Research Group, just posted a column at Forbes called Get Rid of Jackass Clients. Shaun does a great job of making the business case against jackass clients, but I especially like his final argument.
Finally, life is short. While we all have to put up with difficult
situations and people sometimes, you can't let chronically difficult
clients affect the health and well-being of your family. If your kids
or significant other tell you you're especially grumpy, then think
about whether a client is causing your stress, and whether that stress
is worth it. Most of the time it isn't.
High-paying jobs and the
resulting benefits like vacation homes, jewelry and gadgets are great,
but at the end of the day, always remember why you work so hard.
The No Asshole Rule talks about the damage done by asshole clients and customers, and talks about organizations that apply the rule. But since the publication of the book, this is one of the main themes that people bring-up again and again, from the professional services firm in Europe that has "evidence-based pricing for asshole clients" to the wine buyer from Berkeley who wrote me that, in his business, a customer could either be be an arse or a no pay, but not both. These and many other stories led me to develop the ACHE, the Asshole Client from Hell Exam, which you can complete here to determine if your client is a certified asshole.
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