How to deal with difficult customers

With 90 percent of Americans stating that customer service is a key factor in deciding whether or not to do business with a company, you want to make sure you are getting it right.

Of course, difficult customers exist in every business, but when you work as a freelancer, it falls to you to resolve the situation and keep your reputation intact.

Don’t worry, there are some simple steps you can take to keep even the most complicated customer happy, showing that you are willing to listen and finding a resolution that keeps you all happy and could even result in repeat business.

Less talking, more listening

Every customer wants to be heard. Listen intently and respond with questions to encourage the client to keep talking. That way you can learn more about them and pick up on things that may help you reach a solution more efficiently. Learning how your client thinks can help you choose the right approach to solving their problem.

Do as they do

According to a study by Albert Mehrabian, only 7 percent of what we communicate is by words, the other 93 percent is through nonverbal actions like body language. Closely observing your client and matching their behaviour lets them feel validated and understood. Things like matching their volume and tone of voice will help them relate and feel better connected. Using techniques like ‘keyword backtracking’—mirroring their choice of words—helps the client feel their needs are being met.

The power of visual prompts

Humans are visual creatures. In fact, 65 percent of people respond better to visual prompts. Taking advantage of face-to-face meetings or virtual video calls and incorporating visual components such as a whiteboard to note down issues, lets you tackle any complaints the client may have. Working through these visual reminders together one by one and referring back to the board if the customer starts to stray keeps you on track.

The textbook approach

Work by the book and don’t drop the ball. Difficult clients can be demotivating, but you can use the challenge to fuel your productivity and efficiency. It’s important to be clear in your work process. Take meeting notes, follow a strategic plan and be specific about the actions you’re taking and the outcomes. That way, you know you haven’t left anything unattended to and you can remain focused on the task at hand.

Specify and simplify

Often clients want to focus their frustration and unload at great length. Clients then feel more exasperated as they listen to themselves, making broad generalizations like “nothing is working”. In response, being very specific and taking a point-blank approach to directing questions is a great way to simplify the issue at hand. Proposing simple and concise questions that target the root of the problem, and then offering specific solutions lets the client know you’re invested in improving the situation. 

Lead the way:

When it comes to how to deal with difficult clients, they can pose a challenge, but you can rise above by using these tips to convert this challenge into a more productive way of managing business relationships. At CubixLat, we offer support to our freelancers who work as salespeople for our IT distribution company. We provide advice and training so you can succeed as a freelancer—however great the challenge you face.

 

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How do I become a freelancer?

How do you become a freelancer? Three inspiring success stories

Starting an online business is hard work, but with the right support, you can join the many freelancers out there who have reached success and changed their work-life balance forever.

We all dream of creating a business of our very own and now with freelance platforms and businesses looking to partner with independent workers, there is actually a whole range of options out there.

Perhaps you’re wondering – How do I become a freelancer? Let’s take a look at how these three inspiring examples found the key to success with a new freelance career.

Going global on Fiverr

At the age of 22, Alexandra Fasulo left her job in public relations to pursue a freelance career in writing. After just three years of working on the Fiverr platform, she managed to grow her income to over $350,000 a year. What led to such success? Fasulo states that Fiverr helped develop her career by building recognition and rapport with clients. Self-marketing, great customer relations, and lots of 5-star ratings rapidly increased her revenue and boosted her quickly to top-seller status. Now, Fasulo experiences the benefits of being her own boss: the freedom to work anywhere, the luxury of choosing her clients and the ability to earn much more than a 9-5 office job.

Amazon delivers opportunities

Theo Devine was an inspiring entrepreneur whose dreams were realized when he joined forces with the Amazon Delivery Service Partner program. He was able to build his own delivery company—Integrity Delivered—working in collaboration with Amazon to deliver their products. This revelation not only helped this freelancer transform his work life, but also the lives of his many employees. This life-changing career move allowed him to apply his skills to succeed as his own boss. Now, he has more expertise and knowledge than ever before, enjoys his job, and grows his income substantially year after year.

The Upwork earner

Upwork is one of the most popular platforms known to boost the success of freelancers across the world. One of their highest-paid freelancers has earned more than $700,000 since joining the platform. Alex G. from New York specializes in digital marketing, branding, content, analytics and financial services. After nearly two decades working a professional 9-5 job, he got the experience and credentials he needed to go at it on his own.

With an hourly rate set at a modest $65/hour he grew his income far beyond what other higher paid freelancers manage. Working fixed-price jobs and doing them well made it possible for Alex to earn much more overall from his decades of experience. All those years working in the marketing industry allowed  him to really grow his income as a freelancer on Upwork.

Take the risk, experience the reward

 According to a McKinsey survey, 97 percent of contractors report they are much happier than their permanent counterparts. That is no surprise, given that going freelance certainly rewards you with much more than just financial gain. It enhances your life professionally and personally, giving you the freedom to grow.

We at CubixLat are an established IT distribution company based in Miami, partnering with freelancers to join our independent sales team. We provide everything you need to help you sell your way, offering support while giving you the freedom to work anywhere on your terms.

 

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