Episode 517 How To Offboard a Problem Client Like A Pro
Show Summary
Rob Cairns from Stunning Digital Marketing shares advice on ethically offboarding clients. The podcast episode focuses on providing ample notice, exceeding contractual obligations, and maintaining open communication. Cairns emphasizes offering support during the transition, like providing website backups and restoration instructions. He also discusses when it is not appropriate to recommend other professionals. The goal is to ensure a smooth and professional departure, even when ending a business relationship is necessary.
Show Transcript
Hey everybody, Rob here again. In today’s show, I really want to reach you and give you some tips on what’s the best way to offboard a client. We all know how to onboard. That’s easy. But what happens when you decide not to renew a contract. And I’m going through one of those right now and I want to share with you a little bit about how I’m doing it so I can help you do things. I think ethics and being professional are the right way. So in my contracts, I generally, if I’m not going to renew a contract, I let the client know 30 days ahead of time. Just to be fair, in this case, I knew well out and I decided to let the client know 60 days ahead of time. really upfront about it. So the client now has 60 days to find another web person. In this case, I was hosting the website and I was doing what I call website security care plan. So it basically means I’m going to maintain the security of the site. I’m going to provide the security plugins and I’m going to do all of that for the client and host it. And I’ve said, you know, I don’t think our business goals along time. I didn’t get into history or anything and said, “I think it’s time that we both move on.” And I gave them 60 days. So that’s 30 days on top of what I’m contractually obligated to give them. That’s the first thing. Normally, if it wasn’t a good fit for me, but I thought it was a good fit for somebody else, I would actually recommend another web professional to take on the client’s care plan. In this case, say I didn’t because I personally think this particular client really doesn’t have any interest in managing their business properly and that to me is an issue and I don’t want to inflict this client on any one of my colleagues. So I’ve decided not to do that. I haven’t done that at all in this case but I often will do that. The other thing I’ve done is this is their website. So what I’m doing is I’m taking my backup every two weeks and I’m saving it on a Google Drive which I’ve given the client access to and I will actually leave those files up there till 7 days after the contract expires. So, the client doesn’t even have to get another web professional to grab the site. I’ve given them the site. I’ve given them uh instructions on how to restore the site with Updraft Plus and I’ve even put the Updraft Plus Plus game in the directory so they can grab that and they don’t have to go look for it. So I try to make this really easy. Now if we go past 7 days after the contract expires then charges kick in and say avie because I’ve given them ample time and ample warning. And not only have I done that every second Monday when those files are posted the client gets an email saying by the way I’ve posted your most recent files. So, I’ve kept the lines of communication open. If the client chooses not to do anything, can’t lead a horse that doesn’t want to drink water to water. It just doesn’t work. But the point I’m making is I’ve tried to be as ethical as possible. I’ve given them the long-term notice. Normally, I would very often suggest another web professional. In this case, I didn’t do it for obvious reasons. And I’ve let the client know Oh, by email that every second Monday that their files are posted. There’s not much else I can do. If the client chooses not to enact, that’s their issue at this point, not mine. Rob Cairns with some tips on how to offboard a web client that you really don’t want to do business with when the contract expires. Be well everybody. Take care. Talk to you all soon.
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