Speaker 1: Have you ever found yourself working with a client that suddenly reappeared after going M.I.A.? Forcing you to drop everything to finish their project? What about trying to manage an upset client because they changed the project scope? Or you provided a change order for work they thought should be done for free. If you're nodding your head yes, like me, you might think you have difficult clients. However, it may be that you just need to do a better job of setting expectations. It can be really easy to blame these uncomfortable situations on clients because they don't know what they're doing and you do. Which can make staying on the same page a little difficult.

Speaker 2: When you take the time up front at the beginning of a client relationship to set clear boundaries and expectations and clearly explain what you expect of the client, what the client can expect from you, and how the process flows, they feel more confident and comfortable in your work together.

Speaker 1: As a freelancer or service provider, you want your client to like you. So you might go above and beyond because it's easier to say yes, rather than to have those tougher conversations. When it goes on for too long, though, you might start to feel resentful of clients and taken advantage of. When we hit our limit, we get mad, see things start to deteriorate fast. Trying to bend over backwards for clients usually does more harm than good. Give me a minute. Okay, by not setting clear expectations and boundaries up front, clients learn they can keep pushing you and you'll keep saying yes, even though you're stretched thin. When you welcome a new client and kick off a new project, you should start an onboarding campaign to educate your client on standard protocol. If you don't have a comprehensive client onboarding system in place yet, that's okay. Primarily, there are a couple of critical aspects of client onboarding that you can ignore. Setting clear expectations and establishing realistic boundaries. Speaking of setting clear expectations, try to keep a few things in mind. Ever had a client that responds to a call or message all hours of the day or night? Yeah, it's weird. It's important that you share your working hours and how long clients should expect to wait for a reply to an email or phone call. You gotta let the client know what happens if the scope of work changes. Explain what constitutes this change or request a new one and then manage those requests. It's important to make sure the client understands milestones and deadlines. Communicate what is expected of the client in order to hit these milestones and be clear on what happens if work isn't done or worse, deadlines aren't met. Make sure you communicate the value of both your and your client's time. After all, time is money. You should also be reassuring your client that you'll be providing consultation along the way to ensure the project's success. Let them know you're expecting them to listen and engage in conversation with an open mind. If needed, you should remind them that you'll be professional and happy to help but won't tolerate rude, hurtful, or offensive behavior. Don't take my kindness for weakness, right? Be crystal clear about how communication will be happening. Do you prefer using email or phone calls? Will there be links to video meetings or in-person meetings? Be honest with how much work your clients will have to do to help complete the project as well as any support you will provide. Collaboration is key. It's best if the relationship you have with your client works like a two-way street. Let them know that this is an interactive process and you need them to participate and engage with you or your team. Providing background, input, feedback, and revisions. By setting these expectations, you show the client what you expect of them and vice versa, which shows them you're not just a good choice, but the best choice for the job. Establishing realistic boundaries along with client expectations go hand-in-hand. Having them helps your time, sanity, and schedule as it gives your clients guidelines and can rein in their actions. When you're establishing boundaries, consider these five things to communicate to your client. You have to share when you're available. Do you work a simple nine-to-five or do you work at night like a vampire? It's important to share these things to avoid any problems down the road. Let the client know what happens when they call or email outside of normal business hours and when they can expect a response. See? I hate going to voicemail.

Speaker 2: Throughout your project, it's important to revisit expectations with clients. In each phase of the project, communicate what you expect from clients, what they have to do, and when their deadline is. It's also important to put yourself in the client's shoes and think about expectations from their perspective. When there aren't clear expectations on what's expected of them and when, well, it's easy for clients to delay the project, put it off, focus on other things, and that's not good for anybody.

Speaker 1: Everyone uses social media, but just because you're on Facebook at 8pm doesn't mean your client can ping you on Messenger and ask you a question regarding their project. Be sure your client understands what type of communication tools are off-limits. For example, letting them know Facebook Messenger is probably not an appropriate way to reach you. If you work from home, make sure you let your client know you don't take in-person meetings there. That would be a little awkward. So give clear outlines as to where and when you meet. Spelling these out for your client allows for a foundation for a constructive and happy relationship. And it increases your chances of a good testimonial at the end. When working with clients, it's not your job to be their friend. Sounds harsh, I know. But your job is to be the expert and the leader they hired you to be. That means being able to have tough or uncomfortable conversations when needed. Sorry. As you continue to acquire new clients and projects, take some time to educate your client on expectations from both sides. This helps to ensure that your client doesn't have you jumping through unnecessary hoops. By doing this in your client's onboarding process, you'll reinforce professionalism, strengthen trust, and create a successful client relationship. For more information visit www.FEMA.gov