In business, working with clients can be exciting and rewarding, or it can be a challenging and frustrating. Companies that provide services are bound to have some good and some bad clients. What are the signs of good clients? Recognizing good clients can lead to healthier client-vendor relationships and potentially more business.
To spot the good clients, a business must be aware of the common characteristics of a good client. It is not just paying on time, which should be a given. Here are some additional signs of good clients that will help entrepreneurs, freelancers, and companies with prospecting and client acquisition.
5 Signs Of Good Clients
1. Good clients respect their vendor’s time.
Clients do not always understand what is needed for certain services such as marketing services or website design and development. This is when a vendor provides details on what the client’s requirements will be. During the project, the good client will meet those requirements in a timely manner, respecting the services providers and vendors time. Often when clients meet requirements and work closely with their vendors, results can improve of projects.
2. Good clients allocate enough time for projects.
For project results to be of satisfaction, clients and service provider have to allocate enough time and resources for projects. Good clients understand that they too need to make enough time for certain projects to work with vendors and on requirements to gain the desired results. Bad clients hire vendors and make themselves not available to do their part.
3. Good clients know the approximate costs.
Good clients understand approximate costs involved with services being inquired about. Good clients do their research and learn about project and service costs. In cases that they do not, a good client will not try to undervalue the service offered to drive the pricing down. A good client understands or learns about the service and costs involved to feel certainty when contracting those services out and paying for them.
4. Good clients have realistic expectations.
When starting to work on a project with clients, a vendor will often set the expectations. These expectations could be costs involved, time lines, and other details to achieve the desired results for the client. A good client will not try to force unrealistic expectations on their vendors and service providers. The most common unrealistic expectation is unrealistic time lines. A good client will simply be realistic and understand quality work takes time.
5. Good clients can explain their business needs.
Communication is critical and clients that can explain clearly their business needs are better clients. Clients that do not know what they need often hire consultants. Through consulting services they gain the necessary assistance and access to details. A good client is able to explain what they need and give all necessary details to start the project and complete it successfully.
