The Customer is NOT Always Right - a podcast by Jos Willard

Your client is coming to you with certain expectations and ideas about what they want and how you will help them get there. You want to help them reach their goals, but what do you do when they are aiming for something you don't offer or can't deliver? How do you handle a sudden change of direction with your client when it's not what you signed on to help them with?  What if their expectations are wrong or there has been a misunderstanding on what you can help them accomplish? Having the conversation, holding to your values, and reinforcing your policy is key to having a profitable practice and maintaining your reputation as a coach that delivers what they promise.

Today, I explore the old adage of the "customer is always right" and why that isn't always the case for a coaching practice. I share why giving the client what they want - or think they want - isn't always helpful to them or your business and why you need to have the hard conversations up front.  I explore when it's right to say 'no' to a client and why that is better for your coaching reputation. I also share why it won't work if you say yes to every coaching opportunity and how you can handle things when expectations or requirements change with a client you have been working with for a while.

“The key is acknowledging what they want, getting them to confirm that's what they want, then laying out why we can't give it to them and determining a way forward from there.” - Jos Willard

This week on Profit for Coaches:

• Why giving the client what they want is not always effective in coaching
• Why hard conversations are essential at the start of the coaching process
• When you need to say 'no' to a client
• Why saying yes to every opportunity doesn't work in the coaching industry
• How to handle when things change with a client you have been working with for a while
• The FREE eBook you can access today!

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Crucial Conversations By Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler
• Book: Crucial Accountability By Patterson, Grenny, Maxfield, McMillan and Switzler

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “We need to have those hard conversations upfront.” - Jos Willard
• “We can't always just give the client whatever it is that the client thinks they want.” - Jos Willard
• “Be honest with yourself and with them in a way that is tactful but firm.” - Jos Willard
• “Always be clear about what you promise and be clear about defining when things have gone astray.” - Jos Willard

Helping Coaches Increase Profits

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