Separating from a customer isn’t easy, but it’ll probably be part of your business at some point. Be mindful in your approach to maintain your reputation.
By Jennifer Paulson
Sometimes your client leaves your barn for another, and sometimes you have to do the parting of ways. It happens in all kinds of business, and the horse business isn’t immune to it. It’s a tough topic to address (as is nonpaying clients, as discussed here), but it’s one you should be prepared to consider when relationships don’t work out.
Step one in a parting of ways comes by you knowing it’s time to move on and that the work you’re putting in isn’t worth the money you’re gaining or the stress you’re enduring. If a relationship causes you so much undue agitation, and you’ve tried to fix it, don’t let it influence the rest of your business. Life is too short.
When you communicate the end of your relationship, keep it fully professional. Don’t let your frustration show or let your emotions get the best of you. How you end the connection will follow you and your former client will share how you handled the situation. Never, never burn a bridge. The horse industry is too small!
Additionally, when you communicate that it’s time to move on, the client might be motivated to change the behavior that’s caused the rift, allowing an opportunity to mend it and continue forward in a professional manner.
A formal notification via email can be your best bet, because it allows you to draft your message, edit it, sit on it, edit it again, and then send if you still feel that way after taking time to let it mull in your mind. If possible, give enough notice so the client doesn’t have to rush to find a new barn for their horses or find another trainer right away to get to a major event. You might even be able to recommend a program where the owner would fit better!
Once you sever the tie, don’t panic. You might’ve lost revenue but gained perspective and peace. As always, when one door closes, another opens. A mindset of abundance rather than scarcity goes a long way to acquiring customers who fit your barn.Bonus tip: Keep all this in mind when a customer moves their horses to another barn. It’s part of business and should be expected and handled professionally at all times.
