Some clients are challenging. They may be too involved or too emotional, or they may be hard to locate or communicate with when you need them (or when it’s time to pay!). These awkward customers must be handled with caution and care.

Even though clients’ complaints are often without foundation, they can cause very real problems for you and your firm. At the very least, difficult or awkward clients can waste valuable time and create unnecessary challenges for your staff members. In a worst-case scenario, a disgruntled client could decide to make a complaint.

However, there are some approaches and procedures that can help you to deal with them.

Manage client expectations

Sole practitioners and small firms should discuss service delivery and timing expectations at the start of any client relationship, to ensure that all parties know where they stand. It is important to set boundaries between working time and non-work personal time. It is important to let clients know when you are available for contact and the times when you are not available. You need to be clear with clients from the start.

Do due diligence

It is important to be careful about what clients you take on and to do your due diligence before commencing any engagement. Be aware of early indicators of a difficult client. Use initial phone calls or email to determine what type of client you are dealing with. Warning signs could be last-minute requests, unrealistic timelines, or switching solicitors. These clients can be stressful to work with, it may be difficult to get timely payment, and they might complain about you in public. As a sole practitioner, this can be hard to manage.

Be careful of a referrals or work for friends/family

If referred a client file from another solicitor, ensure you review the file and meet the client before you decide to take them on. There may be underlying reasons for the file referral and, at this stage, it’s best to be cautious and choosy.

If you take on work from friends and family, be aware that they may not be your friends at the end of the process. Legal matters don’t always run smoothly and, in their eyes, you will be tarred with the brush of a negative outcome. Preferably refer them to another colleague or known associate.

Inform your client

The main trigger that causes difficult clients is their lack of understanding or knowledge. To avoid this, you need to educate and keep them up to date. Explain how the legal process for their transaction works – and keep updating them. Managing their expectations in this way will strengthen the relationship and avoid your client getting frustrated.

Set clear ground rules

Provide your clients with a set of rules and procedures and expected levels of input and behaviour:

• Give clear phone, email, and reporting expectations,
• Set an expected timetable for the transaction to be completed,
• Give details of when you will and will not be available,
• Let the client know what could potentially cause hold-ups or problems, and
• Explain the billing procedure.

Understand your client

Difficult clients come in all shapes and sizes, and with many agendas. They may be scared or overwhelmed by the circumstances facing them. They may be daunted by the nature and complexity of the legal process, or just plain averse to using a lawyer. Get to the bottom of what is motivating them. Once you understand the client’s motivation, you can plan the best next steps for you and them.

Be firm

It’s all very well informing clients, setting expectations, and managing those expectations – but unless you stick to your rules and procedures, they are useless. Despite putting in place all of these procedures, difficult clients can still appear. It is important to be fair, but firm.

In summary:

1. Listen to the client and what they have to say. Be patient; let them tell you when they’ve said everything they need to say.
2. Remain calm, no matter how difficult the client’s behaviour becomes. Remember that you’re interacting with a human. Lower your voice when talking to them.
3. Try to build a rapport with a client by establishing an understanding of the issue that is affecting them – and suggest possible solutions.
4. If a client sends you a message, it is important to reply in a timely manner.
5. If possible, don’t take a criticism personally. Respond as if all your clients are watching.
6. Review the situation after any challenging meeting: document the meeting and what happened in writing.

These simple steps won’t prevent you from coming across difficult clients from time to time. However, they will mitigate the problem and, in extreme circumstances, allow you to cut your losses and end the relationship.

Justin Purcell is the Law Society’s practice support executive (j.purcell@lawsociety.ie). Further resources are available in the Business Hub.