Red Flags
Over the last 25 years I have had many wonderful clients. Occasionally, though, a few are not that good.
1 bad client takes as much time and emotional energy as 8 good clients.
So one of the main keys to a good business is filtering out bad clients who just aren’t worth it.
Nobody is perfect. Everyone has one or two red flags. Usually a bad client doesn’t just have one or two, they have most of these.
Most rational humans realize that an estimate is an interview for both parties. It’s not just an interview for the person doing the work. It’s also an interview for the client. That’s when the contractor decides whether or not to even take the job. Sometimes the job is still worth doing even if there are a few red flags. The easiest way to make the job still worth doing is to raise the price.
My list of Red Flags when I do estimates:
Client had a previous carpenter who they tell you they hated
Calls or texts at absurd hours (this means that during the job they will do this too)
The husband and wife are arguing with each other in front of you
Free or Discount - right off the bat they want a discount. These people will also want insanely high quality for a cheaper price
They are spending what they think is a lot of money
There are too many people involved. My max is 3. 1 is perfect. (This is why I don’t work for associations.) If there are 2 people (like a couple, for example) I need a clear idea of who is in charge of this project.
There are illogical rules that need to be followed. (like always say hello to the cat)
They do not acknowledge that you are a human being. (I always say something about myself: kids, charity project, etc. If they don't acknowledge it, it always works out to be bad news.)
Not willing to wait or be appreciative that you are slotting them in ahead of others
I need a bid (I like, what price range are we looking at)
Way too political (we can’t have normal political conversation because the client is paying me money. I will smile and nod at whatever crazy bit of politics you have 100% figured out)
Talk bad about other people for no reason (I’ve had several people bad mouth people who aren’t in the room which means you know they will do the same to you)
Gets out of bed late (cuts your day short)
Bill is going to third party (always weird when I have to send the bill to a third party I have never met. The client is the one that writes the check)
They are not in a functioning relationship right now. (Someone who just got broken up with is angry at the world)
Want to be your best friend immediately.
Client brings in another person to review the work.
Have a good friend involved/advising in the process. (This good friend wants to prove they are a good friend so they are desperately looking for something you did wrong so that they can be useful)
You have to clean their stuff out of the way
Asking for paperwork while I’m in the middle of building something (instead, ask for it before or at the end)
Payment other than money. Some people want to pay you in something other than money. Usually exposure. It’s not worth it. Just work for money.
Too many cats
Dogs run the house and cannot be put in another room
Doesn’t value my time. (I had a lady talk on the phone while I was trying to give her an estimate. She just expected me to wait)
They just moved here. Unfortunately it takes a few months / years to learn the customs and, more important, the prices of things in any local area
No list, they just interrupt you whenever an idea pops into their head
Perfectionist. I can make things look really good. No-one can make it look perfect
Micromanager. Sometimes people watch a you-tube video and they think they know how to do the job better. I’ve been doing it so long that usually I know why what they suggest will fail. They stop after that.
Renegotiating after the fact. This is bizarre, but it does happen. The whole job is done and they want a discount because xyz is not perfect.
Wants great quality every step of the way, not just the end product. Does not understand iteration.
I am not HR department especially not in the middle of working
Not understanding the concept of flow
Judging the job in the middle of the job
How to be a great client and get a great deal
Acknowledge I’m a human
Make a list of stuff you want done
Have a parking space ready
Offer me coffee, water, whatever. I’ll probably say no thank you, but it shows that you believe I am human
Show me where the bathroom is (again I’m human)
Only talk to me for 5 -10 minutes a day (you don’t even need that much, when you talk to a paid worker for an hour you are paying them to be your friend)
Value my time. Be on time for the estimate and give me your full attention please