If you have accepted the behavior up to this point, you set an unfortunate precedent. I myself err in this way frequently- I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt.

It is hard not to be taken advantage of. But remember that just because she acts like a friend, well, ask yourself, would she be as much a “friend” to you if no longer on your payroll? That distinction might alleviate the guilt if you have to let her go.

I’d like to know how this turns out! And I agree about not showing her the blog. Too humiliating.

I think you hit it on the head. I’ve had numerous discussion asking what I can do differently in order to get a different outcome and the response is always the same….”I’ll get to it…I promise!

I think you are right Kevin. I really can’t afford this. No sure anybody really could.

If you’re operating a small business, you can’t afford to have disfunctional service providers. You are your business, and you have to do what you have to do to keep it running efficiently.

Have you considered that this may be her way of severing the relationship? If you’ve discussed the primary issues and nothing constuctive happens, this may be a possibility. Google her name, she might have a similar post on another site asking for advice on how to handle you

You’re either naive about business or are pretending to be.

Granted, you have issues and want advice. There is tons of info on this particular type of situation (consultant not delivering according to the specs of your agreement, etc.) online and in print. Why not do some research yourself, and vet sources that have relevant and expert advice.

Asking a general populace, including people who don’t have the qualifications to even offer advice(how many have ever hired a professional to provide any service? If they haven’t, they should not be posting) to just post whatever they think is beyond ludicrous. It’s insulting. It shows your laziness and one wonders what kind of client you are. (We’ve only heard YOUR side of the story, that’s for certain. And there are always at least two.)

You show a lack of professionalism and a lack of respect. Sorry if that isn’t what you want to hear, but that’s my opinion.

FYI: I’ve both hired consultants and worked as one for many years.

Your situation is a common one and many times it comes down to poor communication of one or both parties and unclear expectations.

If you have a contract that lists the precise services, etc. you have agreed to purchase from this consultant, you should only have to refer to it and then discuss the issues up front.

You also need to be sure your expectations are in line with your actual agreement.

Many times clients have unrealistic expectations and this consultant may not be comfortable making that clear, which could be a factor in her “performance.”

When I was in PR, we had clients whose first request was to “be in Vogue magazine.” We could never agree to that as a condition of work, even though we got a lot of clients coverage. An extreme example, but one of many.

For the folks commenting here: Why do you assume everything this guy tells you is 1/true and accurate assessment of the situation? We have only his word and frankly he may not even understand how consulting works. Sounds to me like he doesn’t.

Comments #39 and #40 resonate quite a bit. The 10-10-10 method is really a good tool. I’ll use it.

Also, I love the reminder that there is always a second best person. Nice.

Thanks

You have to separate your emotions from the situation and only deal with the facts. Also, you tried an e-mail and that didn’t work. Forget about having her read this post. You must confront her in-person for maximum effectiveness.

This situation is draining you which is a real cost that you have to consider. As a result, I say that you have to act soon. Give Sally the facts about where she has let you down, set your expectations very plainly, but professionally and finally ask her if she can meet them. If she agrees, then fine. If not, then you have to cut her loose so you can move on.

Don’t get me wrong, you did a very good job of describing the situation diplomatically. Not always easy to do in matters of business.

I can see that you are trying to do this in a professional manner, and I’m sure you will continue to do so.

Still trashing her business practices is more personal than you may think. And she deserves the chance to correct her behavior after this job before moving on to the next.

Unless she’s being malicious, this needn’t haunt her.

(I wound up doing this with a virtual assistant who I was friendly with but just wasn’t gettign jobs done. When I asked if she had time, she sounded surprised and like she was just realizing that no, she didn’t.) If she doesn’t straighten up THEN, you *know* it’s time to move on.