Fire them and make room for one that will respect you, your time and your expertise!  Unless of course, they're difficult because you're not doing your job effectively ???

I rarely have difficult clients, only difficult agents.

If an agent counsels with a client before they try to get their signatures, the client will value their opinion.  Counseling first is how to manage their expectations.

Eve

The critical thing here is why work with a client who does not value your time or advise . I say you need to ask yourself why do you want to work with some like this ?  I would say the difficult person here is not the client but you the agent. 

An experienced real estate professional handles difficult clients almost every day in the normal course of business. They come with the territory.

I try to be patient.  I try to set realistic expecations.  I try to provide a blue print of how the transaction should go.   That being said, there is no pleasing some people.  NOT to make an excuse to deliver anyhing less than 100% to them.  I try, very hard, to weed them out before I allow them to waste my time and resources.  To some degree, it comes with a job like ours, in our industry.

Way too broad  a question...the answer depends upon the paticular 'brand' of of difficult.

Only work with people you respect and who respect you.  

You're fired!

I would have to agree with Carol, educating your client can solve a lot of problems.

Set expectiations up front.  In your listing and buyer rep agreement include the following:

"client or agent can terminated this agreement at any time for any reason".

Sometimes a good deal is getting out of a bad deal.

It depends what is ''difficult'' for you. I can handle almost any client, yet, some clients do know how to push your buttons. I just do not waste my time on those.

This is a wide open question. What is the problem? Usually I would walk away from a client like this, but if you are in the middle of a transaction that might be difficult. You have to be a bit more specific. Maybe you should seek a mentor in your office to help you with the questions you have put out here tonight. 

If someone can't respect my time, then I respectfully inform them that I think it would be best if they are represented by someone else who may be a better fit for them.  I let them know I can assist them with a referral and possibly set that up for them.  No time to deal with someone who fights me all the time.  Life is too short.

complain to my spouse

I choose who I want to work with. If they do not value my service, I know what the outcome will be. Why would I stick around for the predictable outcome.

Those who choose to line themselves up for abuse are desperate. They have no options, no alternatives except to take the worst clients, the worst real estate, the worst terms.

The way to handle this issue is to analyze what is putting you in this ugly situation and change your efforts so you end up with an abundance of choice.

Then you have the ability to choose who you will work with.

Now, there really are tried and true methods of managing a difficult client. What will work depends on the specific situation. The one you describe, "does not value your time or advise' is completely on you. It is up to you to establish your value early in the relationship. 

So, tell me, exactly what do you bring to the table, without relying on real estate jargon and gobbly gook, that is worthy of a significant piece of the homeowner equity. Answer this question to a layperson, and get them to agree to your value and you will have OVERCOME this issue. 

If you do not truly understand what you bring to the table, no one else will either. Once you confirm you bring nothing to the table...that is not common to every agent, you value is gone, gone, gone, and it not the home owners fault if they pick up on your message. The lack of confidence you exhibit here, using "Anonymous' is revealing.

When you ESTABLISH your value, this problem NEVER surfaces as a point of contention.

What is the difficulty?  Educating the client often solves a lot of problems.

Dump them, it happens everyday. 

Great answers you got for your question.