In spite of everyone’s best intentions, sometimes a working relationship simply doesn’t work. You may not be able to agree on a message or content, you may have differing opinions on how to present something or you may simply feel apathy or indifference from your partner. When a working relationship stops working, what do you do?
Always be Professional
Whether it’s a mutual decision to terminate a project or one party initiates the breakup, it’s important to be professional in all of your business dealings. Don’t get angry about terminating your project, and if you are angry, don’t show your partner. Whether you’re a client or an employer, there’s no reason to take your temper out on the other party in your deal. And it’s important to remember one very important fact: the world is a small place, and you never know who the other party knows. If word of your temper tantrum spreads around the community, you’ll have a hard time finding work and your reputation will be sullied. Be professional and you can cling to that in your future business relationships.
Compromise to End the Project
Usually, when a project is terminated prematurely, each side has to give a little. A client may not be happy with the work that a provider creates, and may want to pay nothing. Or the provider may be unable to keep up with client requests for edits and may want to end the project. It’s important to keep in mind that both parties probably want a project to end in a certain way, and compromise is the fairest way to terminate a project. If you’re an unhappy client, maybe you pay for a portion of the work. If you’re a provider who wants to end a project, maybe you offer one or two more rounds of revisions and then call it quits. Keep in mind that you’re both giving something up, and try to find a graceful way to ensure you both get something fair.
Consult Your Contract
When you enter into a business relationship, you may sign a contract with the other party. Many contracts have provisions for what happens if one party wants to end the project. Make sure you are happy with the termination provisions before you sign a contract. If you do need to terminate, consult your contract to ensure you’re both in compliance with the termination provisions.
Document Everything
It’s always a good business practice to document all communications anyway, but make sure you document any communication regarding the termination of the project. If you have a phone conversation with a client or provider, document it. Save email exchanges or written letters. You may need to reference these materials if the termination turns acrimonious, so keeping these things on hand gives you peace of mind.
The termination of a business relationship doesn’t have to be a painful process. If you can both remain professional, communicate clearly and compromise on the terms of the project’s end, you can both be satisfied with a mutual parting of ways. Terminating a business relationship goes bad when people start to show their tempers or act unreasonably, so keep in mind that you’re a business professional and conduct yourself accordingly – even if the other party doesn’t. It’s your reputation on the line.
