Interesting interaction with a potential new client.

[thecomputerguy]

I got referred to a new client by by insurance guy (who is my client, break/fix). He prefaced the referral by saying that this client is one of his most "difficult" clients. Immediately red flags went up but I played along. We scheduled a phone consult for 10am on a Thursday, with the main goal of me applying MFA to their O365 accounts, which I wouldn't do blindly without understanding their whole setup. I called, and she missed that meeting. She called me back at 3pm saying that she was caught up on PPP stuff with other clients, and then cut the phone conference short saying another client was calling and she had to take it and she'd call me back.

She never did.

I emailed her the next day to schedule a followup onsite consult to figure out all her stuff (domain, email, website, DNS, computers, etc.) she emailed me back saying we can talk again another day.

Her current tech is break/fix and is responding in several days to issues, so shes looking for more break/fix responsiveness.

I emailed her and said that I don't think we need another call I just need to come onsite for a free eval and pull all documentation together.

She responded with this email, quote "Unfortunately as the managing partner of the firm this is something I delegate and would not be meeting with you directly. Our emails are with Microsoft Office 365 our website is with Doteasy. I don’t understand the questions that you are asking in addition to this."

She isn't big, maybe 15 employees max. I look at this email as if she's just too good to entertain the person who will keep their company running, especially since they are almost entirely cloud based. I never in 16 years of doing this have had a client scoff at meeting the person who will keep their company running moving forward.

Advice? Run from this?

I'd understand if she were a company with 50+ or 100+ employees but I'd only dealt with her from this point and now shes like nah I'll pass you on to my receptionist.

 

[Mike McCall]

Run!

 

[mraikes]

You already know the answer.

 

[dgoglio]

I would run fast! She is probably asking her other guy the same questions and will just go back and forth. I usually go with my gut. The few times I haven't it has ended up being a huge mess.

 

[lan101]

PITA X2 rates lol.

 

[seashore]

She's showing from the outset that she doesn't respect your time. Is this someone you want to work with?

 

[sapphirescales]

She's a lazy/stupid manager that probably got the job because she knows someone or is family rather than because she's qualified. These are the worst types to deal with. If she's the one you have to deal with then run fast and far. She doesn't want to work and she's not afraid of losing her job so someone has to be backfilling for her. If you can find and deal with that person it might be worth it, so long as you make it clear that you won't be dealing with her. Personally for me, it wouldn't be worth the stress and BS. I'd dump this one.

 

[overburnz]

Run!!

 

[glennd]

I would be done at 10:15am Thursday.

 

[Briggsy]

Her current tech is break/fix and is responding in several days to issues, so shes looking for more break/fix responsiveness.

What this really translates to is:

Shes a massive PITA to deal with and when her current guy needs to carry out preventative maintenance, needs to speak to her or wants to visit the premises, shes "too busy" to let him - but then when the **** hits the fan, she needs him to visit immediately to sort it.

Stay well clear.

 

[britechguy]

Advice? Run from this?

I hope this question was rhetorical. There is no way I'd touch this client under any circumstances. This is precisely the sort of customer no one needs or wants, unless they are masochistic.

 

[Markverhyden]

Her current tech is break/fix and is responding in several days to issues, so shes looking for more break/fix responsiveness.

There's a reason for that and it may have nothing to do with the other tech being slackers.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Yeah I thought I was on the right track with this lady.

I'm just not even sure how to respond to this as short and simple as possible to basically tell her that it isn't going to work and to close the door permenantly.

 

[sapphirescales]

Yeah I thought I was on the right track with this lady.

I'm just not even sure how to respond to this as short and simple as possible to basically tell her that it isn't going to work and to close the door permenantly.

Blame the Coronavirus. It works with everything.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Blame the Coronavirus. It works with everything.

My man ... brilliant.

 

[Markverhyden]

Simple. Don't do anything. If she contacts you again simply tell her things have changed and you don't have the ability to properly service her IT needs.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Simple. Don't do anything. If she contacts you again simply tell her things have changed and you don't have the ability to properly service her IT needs.

Good call! I love passive aggressiveness! My wife is a pro at it!

 

[britechguy]

Actually, I'll be the contrarian.

When a customer has demonstrated that they want my services, but are not able to provide the interaction that's essential to provide them, I simply cannot provide them. And I tell them that, directly.

I really don't believe in dancing around the issue. You don't have to be rude, just accurate. And, before anyone starts going there, I am more than willing to have negative, very negative, reviews from ranters. And that's because I don't think that anyone should have all perfect reviews after a sufficient number have been offered and, as I've indicated elsewhere, I believe that many reading reviews know exactly when they're looking at one by an unreasonable (and/or unhinged) individual.

 

[Markverhyden]

In my book there's never a need to explain why I am doing something business wise. Doesn't matter what it is. Pricing, hours, what I will or will not service. I learned a long time ago that landing in that situation could involve a whole lot of time and effort for which you will not be able to bill.

 

[britechguy]

In my book there's never a need to explain why I am doing something business wise. Doesn't matter what it is. Pricing, hours, what I will or will not service. I learned a long time ago that landing in that situation could involve a whole lot of time and effort for which you will not be able to bill.

Which is, in the end, the best practice. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you," is all that really need be said. If someone presses, then the generic, "My circumstances have changed, and I'm not available," can always be used.

The above being said, I do get pleasure from letting demanding so-and-sos know that I am not going to provide service because they've shown themselves to be such, but in the businesslike way of doing so. These people need that feedback whether they take it on or not. But no one is obligated to provide it, but if "it's your thing" I would not hesitate to do so.