Is the Customer Always Right?

Most marketing experts will tell you that acquiring a new client is very costly, so it is important to hang on to the ones you have. And the mantra of “the customer is always right” is well engrained in the business owner’s mind. It seems that the first commandment of a company is that no matter what the client wants, we must go along in order to keep him or her happy. I disagree. There are some clients that are not worth the trouble. Sometimes a client will want you to do something unethical or illegal. Other clients want to micromanage every minute of your day. Still others are just plain toxic.

I personally have fired a couple of my clients; very politely, I have to say, but nevertheless, they are gone. The reason why I have done this is that these clients wanted something from me that I was unwilling to give.

As a business owner you have many worries and responsibilities, but this is one of the perks of the job. Yes, obtaining a new client is costly, but keeping a difficult one can be more so. Getting new customers isn’t nearly as difficult as hanging on to troublesome ones. Don’t be afraid; being free of a toxic customer will liberate you, and you will find that you have more time in your day, time to find new clients.