5 Kinds Of Customers To Avoid This Year
Because customers can be a mix of things — there are the really nice ones as well as the difficult ones, it’s totally fine to want to create boundaries with them.
If you’re willing to commit to it, we have lined up five customers you absolutely must avoid or learn to manage this year. Some because they’re a headache and some because it’s the smart thing to do for your business.
- The debtor.
When it comes to this kind of customer, they make up never-ending excuses. They often say they would pay, but that might never happen. They would rather guilt trip you to give them more time or they do not intend to pay at all. They aren’t just annoying — they’re also costly to your cash flow and they will suck up the time you need to do other important stuff.
What we recommend: Be upfront about your terms. Before you start any project or complete any sale, they need to know exactly how much it’ll cost, when the payment is due, and what the payment terms are. You can also send them gentle reminders with the Invoicing feature on Kuda Business or send an automated email prompt.
2. The discount or bargain hunter.
They’re always in search of a good bargain or a discount, and dissatisfied with the price of everything. You’ll only find them buying during promo or discount sales. These kinds of customers have very little potential to become loyal customers unless it’s part of your business strategy to offer the lowest possible price at all times.
What we recommend: Offer your best price and create a fear of missing out deal by saying you’ll sell for this price only for two hours, or that there are only two pieces left because they are selling out fast.
3. The inquirer.
We know these kinds of customers, they always make inquiries but never buy anything. For every question you answer, they always have more. Eventually, they might just ghost you — never to be seen or heard from again.
What we recommend: Save yourself the stress, and have a section on your website or your social media platforms where you address frequent questions they’ll possibly ask, and direct them there whenever they make inquiries.
4. The know-it-all.
They always have something to say and are never satisfied. The know-it-all would want everything done their way, even if it doesn’t make sense. And when it goes wrong, you will be blamed for it.
What we recommend: If they don’t seem to respect your work or your ideas, maybe you shouldn’t be working with them. Remember, you are the expert and not the other way around.
5. The impatient one.
Everything is an emergency for this customer. They want everything yesterday. Their expectations are unrealistic. They are calling you at home and on vacation.
What we recommend: Try to manage their expectations, and give them realistic timelines, for instance, when their items would be delivered, how long product returns would take, or when a product will be back in stock.
