A toxic client demands far more than they’re paying for and expects you to carry the blame for their own mistakes. Going the extra mile for a client is admirable, but not at the cost of your team’s sanity or your business’s bottom line.
Most difficult clients aren’t inherently bad people
Tom Manners, co-CEO of digital agency Clockwork Media, argues most difficult clients are simply operating in a difficult situation, not acting in bad faith. The real drivers behind a toxic client relationship tend to be an inability to make decisions, no real appreciation for time or craft, inconsistency, and decisions made on assumption rather than fact.
The problem often starts inside the client’s own organisation
A client’s internal politics frequently explain behaviour that looks toxic on the surface. Effort spent appeasing everyone internally at the client’s business leaves an agency stuck, unsure what’s actually required, and that internal anxiety gets passed straight through to the agency relationship. Unrealistic deadlines and excessive approval chains, sometimes 30 sign-offs for a single piece of content, are usually symptoms of this deeper internal dysfunction, not a personal attack on the agency.
The fix: educate, don’t just tolerate
Manners recommends educating both your own team and the client on how your business actually works. Hard, honest conversations early, ideally involving senior people on both sides, set expectations before resentment builds. Be direct about the kind of work your agency wants to do, and what’s genuinely required to make that happen.
Empower the client to succeed internally too
Helping your client look good to their own senior team, and supporting them in getting internal buy-in, builds trust from day one. A client who succeeds internally because of your support is far less likely to become a toxic one.
Know who you want your agency to be
A clear, genuine understanding of your own agency’s identity and standards makes it considerably easier to have these difficult conversations, and to recognise early when a client relationship simply isn’t the right fit.
Frequently asked questions
Are toxic clients usually acting in bad faith?
Rarely. Most difficult client behaviour stems from internal organisational dysfunction at the client’s own business, not deliberate bad faith toward the agency.
How should an agency respond to excessive approval requirements from a client?
Have a direct, honest conversation about the agency’s own processes and why they exist, ideally involving senior stakeholders on both sides early in the relationship.
Can educating a difficult client actually fix the relationship?
Often, yes. Clear expectations and honest conversations about how the agency works, combined with helping the client succeed internally, frequently resolve what looks like a purely toxic dynamic.
Protecting your team without burning the relationship
Most difficult clients respond to clarity and support rather than confrontation. Educating them on your process, and helping them succeed with their own internal stakeholders, resolves far more toxic dynamics than simply enduring them.
Further reading: Why the Internet Isn’t Working for South African SMEs | Companies and Intellectual Property Commission for official business registration requirements
Originally published in September 2019. Updated September 2026 to refresh this guidance on managing difficult client relationships. The underlying diagnosis and fix remain durable.
