11

Gregory,

I couldn’t agree more with your introduction. Creators: choose your clients carefully. I’m sad to say I’ve had about one of each of these problem clients over the years.

I think this post could be expanded into a more long-form companion to Ellen Shapiro’s awesome The Graphic Designer’s Guide to Clients.

posted at 04:37 pm on October 20, 2009 by mcritz

12 CMS taking up time?

If CMS takes up that much of your time, do I have a surprise for you? I don’t hold a doctorate in programming (if there is such a thing) but I do use a CMS that allows me to build very quickly – it’s professional, supported and includes training for the client.

This is a brilliant article! I like the questionnaire too. I just may include that in my next project. I have to admit that every time someone uses numbers with lots of zeros or talks of decades of experience, my defences go up. I’ve been burned badly by this rhetoric, and always find that there’s nothing but a large hereford on the other end of the claims, delivering them all with fluid efficiency. So now I look for ways to say no, and try not to appear too hungry. This has become my mantra, in fact – don’t appear too hungry.

posted at 08:23 pm on October 20, 2009 by Nicholas Burman

13 Great article

This article is a must read for everyone in the industry (and I hope potential clients get to read it too). Thanks for putting it down so nicely Greg!
proxiss above hinted at another sign I’d like to point out: say no when a client rejects partial payments and only wants to pay at the end of a project. It is essential that the client demonstrates his/her commitment to the project, also on a financial level. You shouldn’t take up all the financial risk yourself, or your project can easily turn into spec work.
I try to use a scheme that includes a deposit that completely covers the first big chunk of work that results in meaningful output for the client (usually requirements analysis and/or first stages of design) and then pace the payments so that they match the amount of effort put into the project at each stage.
Your mileage may vary, you may opt for other schemes depending on what the client is willing to accept or on the specific risks involved in a project.

posted at 06:12 am on October 21, 2009 by George Terezakis

15 Questionnaire

It would be very interesting if you could share a mockup, template of your questionnaire. Or if specific to each projects you are creating, at least, the type of questions in the questionnaire.

On the side of the No No for projects, setting a deadline for delivery of the projects or even a step without having all the materials which guarantee the delivery date.

We have to be very careful when committing to dates, to also set the right expectations of the client. Too often, in a project, it is possible to say, let’s release this section at this date YYYY-MM-DD, the materials will be given to you in the next two weeks. Red flag. It is often better to say, once given this list of items (deliveryDate), we will be releasing this section at “deliveryDate + 10 business days”.

In middle size agencies, there is also an issue of resources management. There is more than one project in parallel. Explaining to the client that if he/she misses a particular window, the project will be delayed.

Keep written records of every discussions you had, put down the RESOLUTION and the ACTION. After each meeting, send your meeting minutes to the project participants and the client. It is often better to have a scribe. If you get phone calls from the clients (which is fine), send a summary of the discussion just after.

If you are using a project management system (be mail, sharepoint, basecamp, etc. anything), if the client says “It is not the way I work”, rise a red flag again.

Be careful also of the “just this time” or “just for once” on a exceptional work issue, because if you authorize it once, the client will keep the foot in the door, to reuse it again.

posted at 10:38 am on October 21, 2009 by karlcow

16 Good advice

I’m new to this field and could have done with reading this a while back – especially the comment about avoiding the blamers!

My first client was an absolute nightmare – would give me content to add to the site, I would basically copy and paste any text as she was VERY explicit in her instructions, then I’d get a text/ email/ phonecall saying I’d made a mistake, could we meet up again to discuss it a few other changes she’d like to make – and no matter how many times I told her something was impossible for me to do, she’d still ask for the SAME thing at every meeting! shakes head I so undercharged for that site!

posted at 06:43 pm on October 21, 2009 by rosevibe

17 A few more warning signs

Gleaned from 38 years as a graphic designer (a 6 years as a web designer):

*Someone who says, “I’ll take care of you.” They won’t.

*Someone who says, “I’ll trust your judgment.” They won’t. That is the “E” ticket to your extra-special, gone-over-with-a-fine-tooth-comb-by-a-lawyer contract. You ARE working with a contract, right? Or are you just trusting that everything’s gonna work out okay, they’ll love everything you do, and nothing will go wrong.

*In the case of websites, someone in their 80s who doesn’t even know what a search engine is, and who barely knows what Internet Explorer is, but who wants a website that, by the way, is required by Federal Law to be accessible, because it’s an education site that will be government funded in some way. And your every attempt to explain any of this is met with befuddlement.

posted at 01:44 am on October 22, 2009 by trixiesirisheyes

18 One More Addition to the List

While the 5 points are all exceedingly well taken, you might add one more ‘umbrella’ caution: any large state agency. I didn’t bid the project, but had responsibility for it and what should have taken no more than 3 months ended up consuming 18! The cost overrun was more than 400% and although the agency was able and willing to cover it, the project was forever after known as “The Nightmare!”

posted at 12:54 pm on October 22, 2009 by DrVideo

19

Greg,
Great article – I found myself doing a lot of head nodding in agreement as I was reading.

However, in sales the ultimate objective is options. You are able to say NO to a lot of unqualified leads because you’ve rightfully earned a reputation. What I see often is web shops having far too much psychological investment in too few projects due to a lack of lead generation and marketing. For example, they have all their proverbial eggs in one basket (e.g. a major RFP). If they don’t land the RFP they are then forced to take what works come at them.

In addition, when they reach max capacity they stop selling – IMHO, this is a big mistake. While managing a production schedule is a balancing act the ability to say NO can only happen when you have multiple projects to choose from.

Cheers,
Dave
Mediacurrent

posted at 12:16 pm on October 25, 2009 by Dave T

20 Good Customer > Bad Customers X 3

Great Article! I’ve found this is the hardest part of freelancing. When someone is offering you money for work it’s hard to turn it down. It’s just vital to keep in mind how much work you will end up doing for that money. I’d rather have one good client than 3 bad ones any day.

posted at 06:47 pm on October 25, 2009 by Brp Web Design

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