Set Boundaries for Clients

How to create boundaries for your clients?[/b][/b]

First of all set clear policies:

By creating policies that govern your client relationships, and being consistent with them, your boundaries will become second nature.

Some areas in which you may want to create business-wide policies include:

Rates, pricing and discounts

Availability and work hours

Billing practices

General turnaround time

Meeting requests

Communicate Clearly

Respect Your Clients and Their Boundaries

Keep in mind that all relationships are based on give and take, so by clear communication and compromise, you are on your way to building healthy and reciprocal relationships with your clients.

Just because your clients work late at night, on the weekends or what seems like 24/7, doesn’t mean you need to. Be clear with what hours you are available to take business calls and respond to email. Actions speak louder than words so if you happen to be up at 4 o’clock to catch up on work, save your replies to client emails as a draft and send during your office hours.[/i]

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Sometimes your clients may call on you for last-minute help, which in a service business isn’t a problem. The trouble is when last minute becomes the norm and you can’t manage your project load because you are constantly rushing for the chronic offenders who just can’t seem to get it together.

But boundaries aren't just about obvious bad behavior or the way we speak to another person. Little things such as is it OK for someone to simply walk in your office and interrupt what you are doing, whether the door is closed or not? If you call a customer or vendor, do you assume that just because they answer the phone they have the time to talk? Do you allow your boss to keep piling on more and more work without saying anything? How often have you tolerated someone's smelly lunch they are eating at their desk without saying anything?

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

The article provides practical advice on how to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with clients, emphasizing that clear policies and consistent communication are key. It extends the concept of boundaries beyond just client interactions to general professional conduct.

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Setting Boundaries with Clients: A Guide to Healthier Professional Relationships​

Establishing clear boundaries with clients is crucial for managing workload, maintaining professionalism, and fostering respectful relationships. The article suggests that by setting policies and consistently adhering to them, these boundaries will become second nature, benefiting both the service provider and the client.

Key Strategies for Creating Client Boundaries:​

1. Set Clear Policies:
   
   • Develop written policies that govern various aspects of your client relationships.
   • Areas to consider for business-wide policies include:
     • Rates, pricing, and discounts
     • Availability and work hours
     • Billing practices
     • General turnaround times for projects/tasks
     • Protocols for meeting requests
   • Consistency in enforcing these policies is vital for their effectiveness.
2. Communicate Clearly:
   
   • Explicitly communicate your boundaries to clients. For instance, clearly state your available hours for business calls and email responses.
   • Actions Speak Louder than Words: If you work outside regular hours (e.g., catching up at 4 AM), save email replies as drafts and send them during your official office hours. This reinforces your communicated availability.
3. Respect Your Clients and Their Boundaries:
   
   • Acknowledge that all relationships are a "give and take."
   • By communicating clearly and being open to compromise, you can build healthy and reciprocal relationships. This mutual respect is fundamental.

Addressing Specific Boundary Challenges:​

The article further elaborates on common scenarios where boundaries are tested:

• Last-Minute Requests: While occasional urgent requests are normal in a service business, they become problematic when they become the norm, disrupting project loads and creating constant rushes for "chronic offenders."
• Physical Space and Interruptions: It questions whether it's acceptable for clients (or colleagues) to walk into your office uninvited, even if your door is closed. This highlights the need for boundaries around physical workspace and focus time.
• Assumptions in Communication: It prompts reflection on whether you assume someone has time to talk just because they answer the phone, indicating a need for conscious respect for others' time.
• Workload Management: It addresses the tendency to tolerate a boss piling on more work without vocalizing concerns, suggesting that boundaries are also needed internally.
• Minor Disruptions: Even seemingly small issues, like a colleague's "smelly lunch," can be a boundary violation, indicating the need for broader personal and professional boundary setting.

In essence, the article advocates for a proactive and holistic approach to boundary setting. By defining clear policies, communicating them effectively, showing respect, and addressing subtle boundary infringements, professionals can cultivate more balanced, productive, and less stressful client relationships.