BizyDad
Keep going. Keep growing.
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
I also don't offer refunds. But I did give one, once. Client was starting a new business. She wasn't even sure she wanted to start the business, she was referred to me in part because I have a reputation for giving an honest assessment of start up ideas. I did my homework, and I really thought she had a solid idea. I had a friend who had done a similar consulting business, so in addition to the keyword research, I knew there was some market demand. I encouraged her to give it a go. We worked together for 3 months. She was great, always did everything asked, we executed everything as planned. Trouble was, after 3 months and X spent on ads and our fee, while I knew she was living off her meager savings, we generated 0 calls. To this day, I have no idea why the tactics didn't work. She didn't ask for a refund, but I gave her one because my basic promise to anyone that signs up with us is that I'll improve your situation. In her case, I didn't feel we met that basic threshold. So my ethic led me to issue the refund.
Ultimately it is for you to decide first whether you feel you earned the money. Do they have a legitimate gripe? If so, can you fix it? I've offered people reducing my fee for a short period, even handed out an occassional free month to smooth things over?
Let's say they are completely off base, or things are beyond fixable, and are going to leave a terrible reviews anyways. In that situation, don't let yourself be bullied, let them leave their bad review. And then one by one talk to your satisfied clients and get them to leave glowing reviews. Do so over the course of several weeks, not just all at once.
Everybody gets a bad review eventually. Don't fret over that. Just keep making raving fans. I actually tracked this back in the day and a bad review can actually make conversions go up. I have 2 theories about that. 1 - The bad review is just off base that people will disregard one. 2 - The bad review can make the other good reviews seem more credible. It is hard to trust a listing that has dozens of 5* reviews and nothing else. Hth.
Ultimately it is for you to decide first whether you feel you earned the money. Do they have a legitimate gripe? If so, can you fix it? I've offered people reducing my fee for a short period, even handed out an occassional free month to smooth things over?
Let's say they are completely off base, or things are beyond fixable, and are going to leave a terrible reviews anyways. In that situation, don't let yourself be bullied, let them leave their bad review. And then one by one talk to your satisfied clients and get them to leave glowing reviews. Do so over the course of several weeks, not just all at once.
Everybody gets a bad review eventually. Don't fret over that. Just keep making raving fans. I actually tracked this back in the day and a bad review can actually make conversions go up. I have 2 theories about that. 1 - The bad review is just off base that people will disregard one. 2 - The bad review can make the other good reviews seem more credible. It is hard to trust a listing that has dozens of 5* reviews and nothing else. Hth.