How I Got Rid of Annoying Clients (And Why You Should Too)

Don't wait until the situation becomes entirely untenable to fire your least favourite client. This is something most MSPs struggle with – I certainly did in the early days.

The problem? When you're new to the MSP game, you desperately need money. So you make allowances for anybody who pays you any attention. You discount services, you bend over backwards, and you make silly little concessions for appalling behaviour. I've seen MSPs tolerate everything from constant shouting to outright prejudice, all because "the client pays the bills."

But here's what you don't realise: when a customer doesn't align with your vision as a founder, no matter how small that misalignment seems, it carries a price. And that price compounds as you grow.

The Hidden Cost of Problem Clients

Even though you feel you can make allowances for difficult behaviour right now, be prepared for that very thing to be what holds up your next phase of growth.

Here's why: one day, when you're scaling, that problematic customer won't be speaking to you about their unreasonable demands. They'll be speaking to a member of your staff. And that staff member isn't as inclined to accept abusive behaviour as you might be, because you're paying their wage, not the client.

The client who was paying your wage (which made you prepared to tolerate their nonsense) is no longer associated in any friendly sense with anyone on your help desk. You might make the allowance, but your staff shouldn't have to.

You're Betraying Your Own Team

When you hire people, they get behind your vision and mission. If your company values include "respect our customers but don't tolerate rudeness or unprofessional behaviour," yet customers are calling up and shouting at the help desk. While at the same time, you tell staff to "please take the call," you're completely out of alignment.

You've effectively ripped off your own team member. You promised they'd get calls that align with your vision and values, but they're getting the complete opposite.

The Growth Killer Nobody Talks About

Don't make too many allowances for your customers. The sooner you get rid of clients who aren't aligned with your expectations, the quicker you'll grow.

The reason is simple: problem clients erode your culture. When you remove them, everybody you take on will genuinely want to deliver what you want to deliver, without constant internal conflict.

A Real Example: The Customer Who Paid But Poisoned Everything

I remember one customer quite clearly. They paid their bills on time, but they'd give you an inordinate amount of grief around any issue. Everything was urgent. Everything had to be ASAP. Every minor problem became a crisis that required immediate escalation.

Now, there's a certain amount of expectation setting you need to do as an MSP. You need to be accountable for that. You need to inform customers about your service charter, clearly explain the rules, and ensure that they understand you won't accept anything other than adherence to these standards.

But if they continually push boundaries – and they're middle-aged professionals who don't want to be told what to do – you're going to have to make a decision.

The Breaking Point

I remember this customer ranting down the phone at one of our engineers. I could hear it escalating from across the office. I walked over, picked up the phone, and said, "Listen, there's no situation where you can talk to my engineers like that."

The guy continued getting angry: "You mean I can't say what I feel?"

"No," I replied, "you can't say what you feel. That's not how the professional world works. The world works by filtering emotion and communicating respectfully."

That was the moment I realised this client had to go.

Setting the Standard for Professional Behaviour

Your team deserves to work in an environment where they're treated with respect. When you allow clients to abuse your staff – even occasionally – you're telling your team that their wellbeing matters less than the monthly recurring revenue.

That's a dangerous precedent that will harm good people and tarnish your company culture.

The Freedom That Comes From Firing Problem Clients

Here's what happens when you finally cut ties with clients who don't respect your team or processes:

• Your staff morale improves dramatically

• You can focus energy on clients who value your service

• Your company culture becomes genuinely aligned with your stated values

• New team members see that you'll protect them from unreasonable behaviour

• You attract better clients who appreciate professional service delivery

Making the Decision

Firing a paying client feels counterintuitive, especially when cash flow is tight. But keeping problem clients costs more than losing their revenue. They consume disproportionate support time, create stress for your team, and prevent you from delivering excellent service to your good clients.

The calculation isn't just about monthly fees. Factor in:

• Extra support hours dealing with their drama

• Staff turnover caused by client abuse

• Time spent managing their unreasonable demands

• The opportunity cost of not serving better clients

• The cultural damage to your growing team

How to Do It Right

When you decide to part ways with a problematic client:

1. Document everything – Keep records of unreasonable behaviour and boundary violations

2. Give clear notice – Usually 30-60 days depending on your contract terms

3. Remain professional – Don't burn bridges or air grievances publicly

4. Help with transition – Provide documentation and reasonable handover support

5. Learn from it – Improve your client qualification process to avoid similar situations

The Long Game Perspective

Every problem client you tolerate today makes it harder to build the MSP you actually want tomorrow. Your future self – and your future team – will thank you for making the tough decisions early.

Remember: you're not just running a business that pays bills. You're building a company culture, developing a reputation, and creating an environment where good people want to work.

Don't let problem clients derail that vision.

Conclusion

The clients who test your boundaries, abuse your staff, and drain your resources aren't worth keeping – regardless of what they pay.

Make the tough decision early. Set clear professional standards. Protect your team from unreasonable behaviour.

Your business will grow faster, your culture will strengthen, and you'll attract the kind of clients who truly value professional IT service delivery.

The relief you'll feel after firing your first truly problematic client will surprise you. More importantly, your team will respect you for it.

Next steps: Review your current client list and identify any relationships that consistently drain energy or cross professional boundaries. Document incidents and prepare for difficult conversations.

Create clear service standards that define acceptable client behaviour and communication protocols. Share these with all clients and enforce them consistently.