Sam kept me waiting for 30 minutes. When we finally met, he was anything but pleasant. I should have trusted my gut and walked away. But I didn’t. I’m a pro. I can deal with anyone. Or at least that’s what I was thinking. However, when he demanded a proposal by 9:00 the next morning, I was out of there.

What a relief! If I had worked with Sam, he would have driven me crazy. He would have been a PITA customer. Yes, a "pain in the ass."

The Hidden Cost of Bad Customers

Working with PITA clients isn’t just an unpleasant experience; it’s an opportunity cost. PITA clients push you to cut your price. Once you do, you've locked yourself into a downward spiral. It’s like one of those rides at an amusement park where you go round and round and think you will either lose your lunch or your head will spin off—and you really don’t care which happens first.

But wait, there's more:

• You’ll be nickel-and-dimed and then expected to deliver additional services—quickly and at no charge.
• They’ll challenge your expertise and question you on every move.
• Your resources (and energy) will be drained.
• Your team will consider mutiny, but be too exhausted, frustrated, and demoralized to follow through with it.
• Your profit margins will be squeezed.
• PITAs hang out with other PITAs, so their referrals will be to other demanding, stingy people.

Worst of all, PITA clients waste time, energy, and creativity that would be better spent serving your Ideal Clients—the ones who are a pleasure to work with, give you what you need to help them grow their businesses, spend lots of money, and then offer referrals to other great clients.

Dump the Junk

So why accept business from a few customers who drive you crazy and drain your resources? Many salespeople say they sell to “anyone who fogs a mirror”—because of looming quotas or because their companies insist on certain deals. Many sales organizations create unrealistic expectations that they can turn bad situations into good ones, but they’re just dreaming. Bad business is bad business. Period.

Your best sales decision: Fire the PITAs.

Yes, fight back, push back … whatever you want to call it. But don’t take their abuse. You deliver a service that boosts their business, so be willing to walk away if they don’t value your time and expertise. When you do, you have time to attract and nurture the kind of clients you want. Plenty of these customers exist. Where do you find them? Ask your favorite clients for referrals.

Do you have the challenger profile that wins more sales? Visit our website or download the free e-book.