Red Alert: Spotting the Warning Signs of an Unhappy Client & How to Handle Them

As a digital agency owner or web designer, the pressure is on to keep your clients happy. We’re reliant on their business to keep ours afloat, so it’s important to make sure they’re well looked after and satisfied with your service.

You need to be able to recognize when a client isn’t entirely thrilled, and what you can do to make things right when they’ve gone wrong. The long-term success of your digital agency depends on it.

Now, let’s be clear. There’s a very distinct difference between difficult customers and unhappy ones. I don’t believe in pandering to clients who are rude, unpleasant, or unreasonably demanding. In fact, keeping a bad-fit client on your books can be incredibly damaging to your business – and your sanity! It’s something that I’ve already covered in detail in my blog on recognizing and dealing with bad-fit clients.

But when things aren’t going according to plan –for whatever reason – even good-fit clients can get upset. If they do, it’s essential to be able to recognize the signs and rectify the situation if possible.

The tell-tale signs of an unhappy customer

Never fear, it’s a rare occurrence that a client goes from “everything is amazing” to “I’m going to sue you and destroy everything you love” with no prior warnings. Here’s a list of the most common signs a client is unhappy – and what to do when they happen.

1. Dropping off the face of the planet

Ever get that horrible feeling that you’ve forgotten something (or someone)?

When clients aren’t pleased, they can go a little quiet. Too quiet. Sometimes, by the time you notice their silence, you’re too late. The damage is done.

While their silence may have nothing to do with you, if you’re getting radio silence from one of your regular clients, it’s possible that they might not be thrilled with your service. When in doubt, it’s a good idea to drop them a line to see what’s going on.

2. The dreaded “angry customer” tone

Some clients are about as subtle as a sledgehammer when they’re upset. But others might not communicate their feelings so directly – especially if they’re afraid of confrontation.

Is a client being a bit icy with you? Is there an undertone of passive aggressiveness in their emails? This might be their (rather unprofessional) way of telling you something is wrong.

Side note: you do not deserve to be spoken to this way by anyone. But, if you’re noticing a certain tone from a usually-delightful client, check in to see what the problem is and how you can resolve it.

3. They start giving vague feedback

“This section feels really off to me.” 

“Please rewrite these two paragraphs.” 

“???” 

If clients start giving super vague feedback, it could be a sign that they’re not happy with the work you’re delivering.

They might be struggling to understand the direction you’re going with their project and starting to lose faith in the final result. If you get this feeling, reach out to your client. Express genuine interest in striking the right balance for them, and ask if they have any specific thoughts or feelings on how things are going so far.

If you haven’t already picked up on the common thread between all these problems – it’s open communication. Ask!

4. Delays in payment or renewals

You’re a professional. You deliver your work on time, and you deserve to be paid on time in return. While it’s not okay to leave an invoice unpaid, if a client is withholding payment, it could be a sign that something has gone wrong.

Likewise, if you offer recurring services and existing clients are slow to renew their contracts with you, they might be having second thoughts. In either case, give them a friendly nudge, check in with them, and ask for their feedback on how you can improve your service or the experience of working together.

Dealing with unhappy clients in a professional way

Given that every client and experience is unique, dealing with unhappy customers is a process that often looks different from situation to situation. But, it always helps to have some kind of protocol in place to help you deal with issues as they arise. Here’s what I do.

1. Acknowledge the problem quickly

Nobody likes dealing with unpleasant situations. But, while you might be tempted to avoid the situation and hope for the best, let me tell you – that’s the worst thing you can do. Good communication is absolutely essential to avoid driving the nail deeper into the coffin in moments like these.

Whether you’re overdue on a project delivery date, or your client feels you’ve fallen short of their expectations, it’s best to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. Set up a call with your client to talk about the problem and de-escalate any frustration or tension that might be building.

These conversations are never easy, but try to keep things open and upbeat. Use your active listening skills to make them feel heard and understood. In most cases, getting everything out in the open is enough to get things moving forward in a positive direction again.

2. Offer solutions to resolve the situation

When we’re met with problems, we want solutions. Your clients are no different.

If you’ve made a mistake, or your client’s project isn’t going according to plan, figure out how you can get things back on track. Whether or not you’re at fault, try to come up with a meaningful and effective solution to the problem.

Be careful though! You want to make things right, but don’t over-promise and under-deliver on a solution. Make sure to set clear expectations with your client to keep everyone on the same page going forward.

3. Never rise to angry customers

When there are important projects on the line, emotions can run high when things go wrong. But no matter how much they pay for your services, no one has the right to be rude or aggressive towards you.

If a customer flies off the handle, remember to pause, take a breath, and remain calm. You don’t have to tolerate this kind of behavior, but keep yours professional at all times.

Calmly let them know that if they have a reasonable complaint, you’re happy to listen. But if they’re not going to treat you with the kindness and respect you deserve, then it’s time to end that working relationship. Into the bin, as I like to say.

4. Make a better effort going forward

If you’ve managed to right a wrong with an unhappy client, the absolute best thing you can do (for the sake of your company and your sanity) is to make sure that it never happens again.

Go out of your way to provide the best possible customer experience to them – and to all of your clients – from this moment on.

Mistakes, mishaps, bumps in the road – they all happen. And while they can be unpleasant and stressful in the moment, they often serve as a very valuable learning experience. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going. You’re doing your best, and that’s all you can do. <3

5. Review your internal processes

Issues can arise for all kinds of reasons. Maybe you had too much going on at work or at home. Maybe you weren’t feeling your best physically. Whatever the cause, the best way to make sure you can deal with difficult situations like these going forward is to make them as manageable as possible. 

How do you do that? By streamlining your internal processes so they can weather any kind of storm!

Take a look at what went wrong with your last unhappy client and identify the gaps in your processes. Which areas of your business could use some fine tuning? Create SOPs, delegate tasks you can no longer manage, find ways to adapt for the better, and always be willing to ask for and accept help when you need it.

Feel like you need some more support on your digital agency journey?

Join The Admin Bar Facebook group today! We’re a group of digital agency owners and web designers who love to connect and share our experiences in the industry. Collectively, we’ve dealt with our fair share of unhappy customers, and we’re always happy to help if you’re stuck in a tough situation. We’d love to have you join us!