How to Handle Difficult Client Situations | Virtual Assistant for Photographers

Okay friend, let’s talk about it - tricky client situations. We’ve all opened that awful email that makes us wanna pull our hair out, and wonder why the heck we became entrepreneurs in the first place 🤯 It’s so freaking frustrating to handle difficult client situations sometimes. As a small business owner, each negative interaction can feel so personal. Especially since sometimes it IS personal! 😅

It might be taboo to talk about, but let’s just jump in and talk about how to handle difficult client situations.

First of all- what do I mean by “difficult client situations”? I’m talking about the clients who, bottom line, are just NOT a good fit for your business. They have arrived in your pipeline, and they just aren’t working out with your vibe. Maybe they are criticizing every step, not trusting you as a photographer, or being downright mean/disrespectful. Unfortunately, we have all had been in the situation of trying to reasonably communicate thru those tricky interactions. While it IS the exception, it does happens to every small business owner.

As a virtual assistant for photographers, I often help my clients with email responses in these rare situations. And I have a few tips/tricks for how to respond without losing your mind 😂 Here are some ideas on how to hand difficult client situations:

1. Take a second: If you feel heated, then DON’T RESPOND. Just wait. If it’s bothering you, write a draft respond, but don’t hit send.

2. Ask a fellow photographer for their opinion: if you aren’t sure what to do, you can always reach out to someone you trust in the industry to review things. As small business owners, we don’t have co-workers to discuss work problems with, so texting your industry friends can be a lifesaver. Or using an app like Marco Polo can be a good way to have a face-to-face conversation from afar.

3. Figure out your boundaries first: know what you are/are not wiling to do. Know what your contract says. Are you willing to do a re-shoot? Are you willing to re-edit? Do you want to refund? Get clear on what works for you & what doesn’t.

4. Identify what they want: try to see through their emotion, and identify what the client wants. Are they not feeling heard? Are they unhappy with something you can easily fix? Are they requesting an additional service and you could send a bill?

5. Put on your best customer service hat: if you’ve ever worked in food service, then you know what I’m talking about. You remove your feelings from the situation, and become very solutions-oriented (in a way that doesn’t cross your boundaries). And offer solutions that meet what they are want…or as close to is as you can get without overextending yourself.

6. Keep the response simple: don’t over-explain yourself, keep the response simple and professional. Here’s a good formula to use:
   - Tell them you understand how they are feeling
   - Offer a solution
   - Back up with your contract (if needed)
   - Ask how they would like to proceed

7. Let it improve your process: take what you can from the situation, and ask yourself if you need to revaluate your systems and/or communication. Do you need more education on the front end to avoid this problem in the future? Or was it just a bad fit?

We all have to handle difficult client situations, because not every person is a good fit for your business. And each one can grow you & make your business more robust in the long run.

I am preparing a new Email Template Guide where you can get adaptable email responses for a whole variety of regularly needed responses for clients. As a VA, I write emails for multiple photographers every single day- and have a pulse on what works well for photography clients.

If you want to be informed when the Email Template Guide drops, sign up here:

I hope this is helpful for you when handling difficult client situations! Save this post and refer to it next time you need it!

• Jessie