The Word Wrangler

You’re going to have a difficult situation involving a client. Maybe today or maybe next week. But it will happen.

Whether you have to alter the terms of your agreement or a discrepancy about a project arises, your response will likely determine how everything is going to play out.

It’s easy to fire off an e-mail or leave a voice message, but even the perception of anger or sarcasm can quickly sink the whole business relationship.

So how do you go about handling these difficult situations? Write a letter.

First off, writing a letter sends a message to your client that you actually took some time and thought carefully about what you wanted to say. Second, a formal letter is perceived to be more businesslike than e-mails or phone calls. Third, if you’re angered by something your client said or did, writing a letter gives you a chance to calm down and think about what you’re going to say before you say it.

Here are some points to remember when drafting a letter to your client.

Use active voice - Active voice is preferred among business writers because it’s clear, direct and denotes action.

“I will have the article completed by the end of business tomorrow”.

“The article will be completed by the end of business tomorrow”.

In the first sentence the client knows exactly who will be completing the article. The second sentence is vague and can lead to confusion.

The only time you should consider using passive voice is if you’re trying to diffuse what could become a heated situation. For example you might write, “The deadline couldn’t be met,” as opposed to, “I couldn’t meet the deadline”. The first sentence suggests that the problem was caused by some outside force that you had no control over, whereas the second sentence might cause the client to think that you’re slacking off on your work or being careless with his project.

Remember, you’re not trying to duck responsibility here, but rather trying to soften the blow for someone who might not be as understanding about the bad news as you’d like them to be.

End on a positive note - Regardless of the situation — whether you’re being the bearer of bad news or just responding to a client’s criticism — be professional and end your communication in a positive manner. Even if the client just sent you an e-mail calling you every nasty name he could think of, your reply should address the concerns, offer any solutions and then end in a positive tone.

Taking the high road definitely makes you look better should your communications ever find themselves into someone else’s hands, which is all too common in today’s world.