It is never fun to have a hard conversation with anyone, but it's especially difficult when it's your client. It doesn't matter if they're being difficult, if you've made a mistake on the project, or if you've got to tell them that their furniture order is delayed again. Those tough talks are one of the LEAST exciting parts of being a designer. But you also can't avoid them. Mistakes get made and clients act out. Those are just facts. So here are some of my top tips for having those difficult client conversations!

Move Quickly

One of the most important things you can do is to nip things in the bud right away. Do NOT delay because you're worried or nervous. The quicker you rip off the band-aid, the better it is for everyone. If you're firing a client, for example, you don't want to let things drag on and have the project move forward at all. If you need to point out an error you or your team made, any delay can cost more money, or can have the client wondering why you didn't tell them immediately. It's always best to bring everything to a QUICK resolution!

Have a Plan

But DO take the time to have a plan in place. If you've had an issue or mistake, you want to have options or solutions ready to go. That shows your client that you are proactive and that you want to keep things on time and on budget. If you're going to tell the client that you cannot work with them anymore, you want to have a plan ready for any refunds (if needed), how to hand the project back to them, and maybe even a reference to another designer. But be careful with that last one! If the client is a nightmare, you don't want to pass them off to a friend in the industry. 

Meet in Person

The BIGGEST mistake I see people make with these tough conversations is to try to do them through text or email. NOPE. This is the time to sit down face-to-face, as hard as that can be. It's rude to fire a client via text or email. And if you've made a mistake, a client will definitely appreciate your taking the time to explain what happened in person. At the very least, you want to pick up the phone and call them. It's the professional way to handle things!

Stay Calm 

Of course you can have everything in place and planned out and things can still go sideways. If your client gets upset or frustrated, it's your job to stay calm. No matter what, don't take anything personally. Keep everything very calm, cool, and professional. Be sure that you also follow up with an email to describe what you've agreed to - or at least how things will move forward. Be in control and show that you're the one who will make things right.

This is just one of the low points in our job as designers. It's how we handle BOTH the good times and the bad that show who we are as business owners! To help you, download my FREE Guide to Handling the Highs and Lows of the Interior Design Business here!