Well, no… fortunately I’ve never been chased by an axe-wielding customer. I do know for sure that we’ve all had our fair share of challenges when dealing with clients. Whether they were having a bad hair day, or it’s just simply how they are, it’s always better to be prepared. It doesn’t always need to be a client vs. agency story.
Story time
Have I ever had a difficult client? Well, unfortunately, the answer is yes. Multiple times as a matter of fact.
I remember one time, my team and I were called to a client’s office for a meeting. It was actually my first meeting with them—actually, one of my first meetings since I had started working at that job.
Walking down a hallway towards the client’s office, we heard a pretty colourful flurry of insults and curse words. As we came nearer and nearer, of course, we were able to find out that the client was talking to a painter that would not be able to meet his deadline because of a personal emergency (keep in mind that we got all this from the incessant screaming).
I will never forget the feeling I had when I entered that room because I knew deep in my gut that this would be one of those difficult clients:

And of course, my gut was right. 😒 When it comes to these clients, I hate it when my gut is right.
Long story short, that meeting was the beginning of a 3-year unhealthy, toxic relationship with this client, that taught me multiple things (especially about resilience). So… was this a difficult-client situation? Yes! But further to that, it was a bad-client situation as well.
Difficult clients and bad “difficult” clients
One thing I have to point out, though, is that not all difficult clients are bad clients.
So then… what’s is a bad client (to me)? I’d say that they are probably in a position where they can abuse others because of their power. Or, they have unethical behaviour. Or, through their actions, they hurt others (directly/indirectly), etc. If you cross paths with one of these, STAY AWAY, ABORT MISSION, STAND UP AND LEAVE. These people can do lots of harm— especially to your mental health.

On the other hand, you have the other kind of difficult clients, who are usually not intentionally difficult or do not realize they are being difficult, because of factors such as:
- Misinformation regarding the service they are receiving
- Scope miscommunication
- Company/organization policies
- Personal or professional issues
- Etc.
When you are dealing with such clients, it’s not always easy to determine what the cause is, so here are a few strategies you can use to improve the situation.
You can also read some more about the project management process here!
Strategies for working with difficult clients
Even though at times you could feel “firing” them is your sanest option, there are some strategies that can help you manage these relationships.
☑️ Make the decision-making process easier
Some clients have a really hard time determining the best course of action when it comes to making a decision. Usually, this leads to frustration or feelings of overwhelm. So, how can you make this process smooth and seamless?
- Determine the actual problem/need: Not only what the client or brief says. Dig deeper. Do your own research as well.
- Get to know your client and the company structure: Figure out the decision-making process, who the actual decision-makers are and what’s needed to make a decision.
- Provide recomnedations: Don’t provide 3-4 options for that solution you’ve found and let the client pick the one they like. You are the expert, so give an expert’s recommendation, based on your experience and knowledge of the client/industry.
😌 Keep it cool

Staying calm… Easier said than done, right? But in cases like these, losing your temper, responding to your client angrily, or letting your emotions get the worst of you, is NOT going to help.
The next time you feel that surge of adrenaline, take a step back, take a deep breath, and keep working toward some kind of compromise (a happy medium if possible).
And of course, the worst thing you can do is take your client’s behaviour personally. They may also be under their superior’s pressure.
One thing that both parties need to keep in mind, though, is that respect is crucial. And this should go both ways. If you ever feel that the client is being disrespectful, this needs to be flagged right away. No one should have to face or worse, accept any type of disrespect.
📝 The bulletproof statement of work (SOW)
One of the most frustrating parts of the project management process is over-demanding clients. Clients that think that their payment entitles them to own you/your creative studio.
That’s where the scope of work comes in. IF you define what you will and won’t do as part of the project from the beginning, and you have your client’s signature on it, you can always refer them to that document and of course, offer the additional work as an added cost.
Having a signed-off SOW gives you and your client a blueprint of everything that’s included and everything that isn’t. Clients will sometimes forget about initial discussions, especially if they happened 4, 6 or even 12 months ago, so it’s always handy to keep these close!
😰 Made a mistake? Own it.
OBVIOUSLY, no one likes making mistakes. Making mistakes can be scary, and of course, having to inform the client about them is worse—even worse if the client informs you about these mistakes! So should you handle this type of situation, when you are dealing with a client that is not that forgiving?
- Process your emotions: It’s really hard to make decisions when you are upset.
- Own the mistake: Never hide it. Acknowledge it as soon as possible and figure out a way to solve whatever the issue is. There’s no turning back now. If necessary, talk to your team members or superiors to figure out your plan of action.
- Communicate: Inform the client if they are not aware of the issue and discuss the plan of action moving forward.
Once the issue has been resolved, take a step back and use this experience as a learning opportunity.
🤦🏻♂️ If nothing works, is it worth it?
Firing a client should be an absolute last resort, and should only be done if you are certain that the relationship is not going anywhere, or if there are constant signs of abuse.
Consider all your options and repercussions, and if you feel that there’s no hope, schedule a personal meeting with your client and let them know about your decision. Don’t make it personal, and keep it calm and professional, and provide any necessary means for a transition.
Being clear and honest about the relationship and why it needs to end is the best way to move forward.

Conclusion
Demanding clients exist. That is a fact and it shouldn’t always be a bad thing. It’s important, though, to keep these recommendations always in mind throughout the whole creative process to avoid any misgivings, confusion or conflicts.
At the end of the day, both clients and creatives want the same outcome: A successful project and probably a long-term business relationship.
Also, there will be times when the client is not really a great fit for you and your team. If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to subtly refuse their project and maybe even recommend a designer who is a better fit for them.