How to Set Boundaries with Clients Without Losing Them

Set Boundaries with Clients can be terrifying. After all, they are your business’s bread and butter. But like any relationship you may have, setting boundaries will only make it healthier.

If you fear that you may lose your clients by setting boundaries, well, it’s a genuine concern.

However, you don’t want to be one of the people who say clients are always right because then you will open the door to many problems and compromises that are unhealthy for your business.

Besides, no one really runs for the hills because you want to establish some rules of engagement that work for both parties. If a client does bail on you, they aren’t the type of clients you want to attract anyway.

Still, as a business, you want to attract and retain clients, not lose them. So, how can you enforce healthy boundaries with clients without losing them?

Set Clear Terms Upfront

If anything can rescue your business from taking the wrong direction, it is establishing clear terms with clients. Let clients know your terms of engagement from the get-go and ensure they understand.

While you may be excited to land the new business, proceeding without each party agreeing on expectations would not be a good idea.

In your terms of service, make sure you cover things like the scope of work, duration, pricing, and outcome. As you explain these terms, don’t forget to share them in writing.

Establish Communications Channel

Many businesses have a defined communication system with specific channels clients should use. If you don’t have specific communication channels, create them.

The last thing you want is to have clients reaching out through all sorts of avenues unless that is part of your customer service strategy.

Another boundary issue that may arise from an undefined communication system is your clients calling and messaging at all times. You can avoid that by informing them about business hours and the benefits of reaching out during these hours.

Create a System for Ad-Hoc Requests

Client satisfaction is crucial to any business. So, how can you Set Boundaries with Clients and ensure client satisfaction while maintaining boundaries?

Often, clients will bombard you with ad-hoc requests that can harm your progress. While respectfully turning them down emphasizes your rules, you can alternatively create a system that accommodates some of these requests without veering off course.

However, ensure that the system for managing such requests is not confused with bending the rules. You can inform your clients that you can accommodate certain requests under specific conditions.

That way, you can maintain boundaries while valuing customer satisfaction.

Don’t Be the Cause

You’re probably wondering how you could be the cause of a lack of boundaries in your business.

That happens when you don’t have a clear understanding of what your boundaries are. Are you sure about everything you want from your clients, or do you have a vague idea?

If you don’t have a set of written and practiced guidelines that constitute your boundaries, you may overstep without even knowing. Basically, know what you want, communicate it, and be consistent.

Put Value on Your Time

Clients want results that they can get out of their main projects. You don’t have to accommodate every demand or be available at their whims.

You may feel like you’re being taken advantage of and haven’t set boundaries yet. One way to resolve this is to design packages for extra deliverables.

Respectfully inform your clients that they can buy a specific package catering to certain services outside the main arrangement. After all, you’re in business.

Be Professional

When working with clients, you learn more about them, and they also learn more about you. Try to show your clients traits that promote healthy boundaries, and they will naturally pick them up.

That way, if you set parameters, they will already know how you do things.

Show professionalism and the ability to get things done. If you say you will do something, when and how, get it done exactly like you said you would. Doing that teaches clients that you appreciate professional behavior.

To Sum Up

It can feel uncomfortable to Set Boundaries with Clients in a relationship. When it’s a business-client relationship, that discomfort can turn into the fear of losing work. However, you must remember that you need these boundaries to perform at your best, providing value while doing what is right for your business.