How to confidently handle difficult conversations with challenging clients to reduce your stress levels

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Melanie Wood, an International Communication and Leadership Speaker, Best-Selling Author and Founder/Owner of Speaking Styles. She provides an overview on providing amazing customer service and goes through her experience dealing with difficult conversations with clients such as managing expectations and unhappy clients threatening to cancel or withhold payment. 

 

QUOTES

• “[When they object] you haven’t gone enough into exploration there to finding out and getting them to really realize what their big need is.”  - Melanie Wood [9:31]
• “[When it comes to managing client expectations] that’s definitely on the onboarding, is going through those expectations there, the other things that I do is, then each step of the way, I then ask them, how is everything going for you.”  - Melanie Wood [14:33]
• “[When it comes to handling difficult conversations] you always should plan and prepare your conversations, because that is the way that you’re going to get the best out of the communication, out of yourself, and out of the other person by planning and preparing.”  - Melanie Wood [20:10]

 

TIMESTAMPS

• [2:22] Meet Melanie
• [3:57] Communication lessons that helped Melanie build her client list during the initial startup phase of her business
• [6:10] Melanie’s process on how to perform an effective consultation call with a client
• [9:09] Overcoming common objections during a consultation call
• [11:30] Tips for giving a great onboarding experience with a new client
• [14:19] Managing client expectations
• [15:46] Other difficult conversations you could potentially have with clients
• [17:38] Handling an angry client after a mistake has been made
• [20:25] Client threatening to cancel
• [22:58] Whether you should honor a refund request for an unhappy client after they’ve already worked with you for a few months
• [24:50] Dealing with clients that are withholding payment
• [27:44] Signs during the initial consultation that this prospect is a red flag and would not be a good person/business to bring on
• [28:51] Advice for professionals that want to start a service based business or want to work in a client facing role
• [30:41] The one major career challenge Melanie had to overcome to get to where she is today
• [31:48] Contacting Melanie
• [32:21] Outro

 

RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

• Speaking Styles
• Melanie Wood on LinkedIn
• Melanie Wood on Instagram
• Melanie Wood on Facebook
• Chan With A Plan
• Chan With A Plan Private Facebook Group