How to Turn Down a Customer or Client .Politely

Yes, it might be tempting to never turn away a business or a customer requests, however, sometimes, it can be the best decision you have to do. Especially if you can’t fulfill their requests, or if meeting their demand will drain your time and resources. The worst thing scenario is that it might end up costing you more in the long run.

So, how to turn down a customer or client politely? We have listed down some of the things you can do on how to deliver a firm yet polite “no” without affecting the relationship completely. Check out the tips below:

• Listen to their request genuinely
• Be gentle, offer next steps they can do
• Do not waste time, yet don’t burn bridges either
• Decline them with gratitude
• Let your customers or clients know that you are the expert in marketing and they are the expert in their field
• Ask your customers to step into your shoes

Always try to make sure that your customer knows you are “listening” to them by suing words such as “I understand”. If they are going to things you simply cannot deliver, you may try to use words like “ I understand your situation but unfortunately, that is outside of our control”. Remember not o shut them down for you’ve burned a bridge.

Be real and upfront in your customer in a gentle manner. Be transparent for they are still the most important part of your business if you want them to use your service or product again. If you say no, you can offer them a solution or next step they can take. Focus on things you are able to do and not on the ones you cannot.

Always know that churned customers hurt profitability. You might never know but it can cost a ton to get first-time customers. They suck customer service time and worse, the executive’s time. Always remember that before you say no to a customer or client, remember your reputation. The manner you say it and the way you send your clients or customers on their way is indeed important. So the best way is to suggest a better solution and do not forget to thank them for their business. They will appreciate it more instead of flaming you.

Yes, you don’t want to burn bridges, but you don’t want to compromise yourself as well. Always decline with gratitude by saying it with kindness. Maintain your own values while doing so.

Let them know that you know what you are doing that’s why they hired you. If in case there is something that isn’t best for their marketing efforts, always say something. You may try saying “No, I don’t think that would be best for you”, that usually works well.

You need to emphasize empathy. Make your clients or customers understand your situation. Why you are not able to comply with their requests or demands while not losing their respect on them. By doing so, they might come back next time with better terms you both can agree on.

We hope that the above tips will help you the next time you want to turn down a client politely. If you have other things you can add to these tips, we would love to hear you out. Write your ideas or tips in the comment box below.