I think there's another side to this. Before labeling someone a high-maintenance customer, it's worth looking at what causes the extra attention. Are expectations clear from the beginning? Is communication consistent? Are there gaps in the process that lead to repeated questions?
Sometimes the customer isn't the problem. They're revealing a problem in the system.
I'd also track the reasons behind those extra calls and requests. If multiple customers keep asking for the same thing, that might be an opportunity to improve the service rather than increase the price or turn customers away.
Of course, some customers will never be a good fit. But knowing the difference can save a business from losing a customer worth keeping.
That’s a fair point, and I think that distinction matters.
If several customers keep asking the same question or needing the same extra touchpoint, that’s probably feedback about the process, not just the customer.
I’ve had things we eventually turned into standard communication or policy because the same confusion kept showing up.
The harder cases are the one-offs where expectations are clear, the process is working, and one customer still needs constant exceptions.
That’s usually where I start looking at fit instead of fixing the whole system around one account.
