Not every prospect should become a client.
Some clients expect to pay a compliance fee to receive an advisory service. It’s not their fault. If a prospect starts the conversation with “How cheap can you do it?” they’re either a start up with no idea of value, or they need re-educating. Too many accountants pitch entirely on price so we need to overcome this focus and educate business owners that in accountancy, as elsewhere, they often get what they pay for. The same goes for many other service businesses where the owner is selling their professional expertise or a skilled service
Sometimes they criticise every previous adviser but it’s easy to see the common factor. If they ignore deadlines and processes or hide information during the onboarding process you can be sure that they won’t improve once they’re a client.
If they want urgent work immediately, especially if caused by their own delays, this is another red flag.
Vampire clients suck the time, profit, energy, and joy out of your business.
Trust your instincts. Stick to your boundaries. Say “no”.
The latest UK Business Confidence Monitor from ICAEW