Happy Clients

It All Starts with Managing Expectations

Client challenges are a major part of being a business owner. It’s not a matter of “if” but when. I’ve heard from other business owners, “my client won’t pay me!” or “my client said they wanted to go blonde but then changed their mind when they saw the finished product!” As we gain experience running our businesses, we all encounter some version of these issues at one time or another, and they can lead to tension with our clients or, worse, financial loss. It’s not because clients are bad or wrong or because we’re not competent entrepreneurs. It’s because this stuff happens, and we can learn a lot from it!

The challenges I’ve encountered are the reason I get everything in writing. I keep copious notes of meetings, I organize my files and invoices meticulously, and I’ve built a solid contract that accounts for a number of challenges I can expect now and then as a floral business owner.

Rule number one - overcoming challenges is much easier when you are not hangry. Zoe approved.

Not only have I crafted my current contract to suit the realities of my industry and my business, but I also review it every year to check for any new gaps in coverage. If something has happened that made me say “I never want that to happen again!” then I really need to make sure I prevent it with a contract revision.

Here are some examples of some uncomfortable real-life business experiences that have influenced some contract updates.