So I'd like to tell you that if you've follow all of my guidance

about client services every client project will be wonderful

or we'll all live in this happy Utopian world and everything will be great.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you that. It'll be a nightmare.

There will be times when things go wrong.

There will be times when you have problems,

you fall out with the client, and aaah!

What do you do?

Dealing with confrontation is unfortunately

an important skill that you will need sooner or later.

I'm sorry about that but that's just the way things are.

My first piece of advice for this is keep calm.

Just because the client is angry,

don't allow yourself to go down that route as well.

Just because they raise their voice, doesn't mean you should.

It's much better to keep calm that it is to get angry.

Acknowledge if you've done something wrong

but also acknowledge that the situation

has reached this point and apologize for that.

Whether or not, you've messed up

or whether the client has been unreasonable,

it's still your responsibility to stop these kinds of problems

and you should apologize if things have gotten this far.

And, don't do that nonapology thing.

I'm sorry that you feel like that. That's not an apology.

That's just a platitude.

But you're sincere in your apologies.

It does make huge difference

and admitting your mistakes will take a lot of the wind out of theirselves.

It's really important to identify the underlying problem here.

Often what a client gets angry about isn't actually the root of the problem.

They might be annoyed because the design is not what they wanted

or that you've misunderstood their brief or whatever else

but actually the underlying problem might be--

"I don't feel you've listened to me."

So you need to work in identifying what that underlying problem is.

Be sure that you get to the root of the problem before going any further.

Also, another thing is like a dumb thing but ask the client what they want.

If they're unhappy, you often get into this argument about

what it is that they are unhappy about

and you focus on the problem and not the solution.

Instead of focusing on what's gone wrong,

say to the client, "Okay, what can I do to fix this?

What can I do make you happy?" and then do it.

Fix the problem.

Whatever it takes you got to go for it, you got to fix the problem.

And then, because you've asked the client what they want you to do

and then you've done it, then you can say, "Are you happy now?"

and of course they have to be happy

because you've done exactly what they've asked.

It's not always possible but it's a general rule of fun but it's not bad.

Once you've fixed the problem, get feedback on them.

Get them sit down and say, "Are you happy now?

Is there anything else I can do?"

Take stock as well.

With the client, sit down with them and say, "Okay. Where are we at?

Do we feel that things have been resolved properly?"

and then demonstrate to the client

that you're going to avoid a repetition of this situation.

Learn from what's happened and correct the problems

so that it's not going to happen again.

Now, most of the time this will sort things.

Just occasionally, it doesn't.

There are really things have gotten very badly wrong.

Now, there are lots of options available to you here

but the one that I tend to prefer and I tend to use

is I essentially reboot the project.

I will say to the client, "Okay. Look.

This we've just gotten off the rails really badly here.

Let's go back to basics. Let's start again and begin the project again."

And often, although that screws your profit margins,

it will fix the project.

And, sometimes it's better to go back to the very beginning

than it is to put plasters on the problems to try and cover up the issue.

Starting afresh is often the best way to go.

Failing all of that, walk away. Know when to walk away.

The point comes with some clients where you just have to go--

"Look, we're not the right fit for one another.

It's not happening for whatever reason

and it's time to go our separate ways."

I think that should be a last resort but is there for you.

Don't rush in to that option

but know when to do it when it comes to it.