Topic: What do you do with annoying clients? (Page 1 of 1)

Hi...
I don't mean to be disrespectful to the idea of CLIENT, but i'm having a problem lately, well, lately meaning around the time i started getting 2+ requests per month.
What do the guys around here do with the classical internet-challenged (IT-challenged to be more to the point ) clients that seems to always like the ugliest colors (yes, i know, ugly and beautiful is relative, but c'mon, there ARE color schemes that are just plain WRONG), they want silly cluttered stuff, they show you 100 sites and they want 'something like that' and never actually know what they want, they always make you add buttons that you removed at their request 3 days ago and generally lack a sense of 'aesthetics' ?


Curiously yours, crip

Question: Is this a paying client?
If your getting paid, and are giving your best adivce, just keep at it. It can be more than frustrating, but they are paying your bills. Maybe, sooner or later, they will listen to what you have to say and do things with reason, and not randomly.

Long, long ago I had a client that wanted me to sit down with them for a whole day every week, and update the website. Doesn't sound too bad right? Until you realize this guy was just shooting from the hip, and I was supposed to type along with him as he mused out loud. I'd upload what he said, and then he'd make more changes. After two six hour sessions like this I told the guy I had no problems if that was how he wanted to run his website. After all, he was paying me top dollar for this "transcription service". But I also pointed out that he'd save money if he were to use his secretary instead of me. Well, 2 more six hour sessions, and he got my bill, and saw the light of day. You can only help those who want your help, and then your going to have clients that "know it all" and you can't do anything but be there to help them out when they fall.

Yes, i know THEY pay the bills, but their websites also kinda sorta need to go into my portfolio, right?
Cos at this job it's not only the imediate reward, the money you take from them, but also your work as a whole, which brings more customers with time...
And if i were to say yes on every sugestion they make i'd end up with no sites to show cos they'd be to darn ugly for me to admit they are my doing, even though they were paid with good money


Curiously yours, crip

well I like to make a mockup how *I* want it first...and that goes into my portfolio - anything they make me brutalize into uglitude stays out

and if I feel their desires are violating my standards, I consider dropping them on someone else that doesn't mind
(edit: unless they're paying A LOT )

(Edited by reisio on 06-03-2005 13:51)

Generally telling them that since the constant modifications are not in the scope of the original contract/delivery, you have to make a change order and an invoice for every modification from now on to gain in efficiency for the good of the project, calm them down.

As for the colors, you could at least remind them the psycologocal impact of several colors ( eventually provide them a short presentation and justify it as a 'gift' to help them sharpen their opinion ) and ask them which impression they want to leave in the mind of their visitors.

Not everything you make needs to go into the portfolio. Your portfolio is a representation of what you feel is your best work.
Sometime work is just work. And with sticking through the pain-in-the-ass clients, they can get you to the work you really want. You never know who they know, and how they can help your own future.

^ indeed.
One of the extranet I made was really not top notch visually, but it was for a syndicate and helped us win a much bigger contract for a much bigger and influent syndicate they depended on.

And, your portfolio is not something that is going to generate your jobs as such. Your business sense and the way you sell yourself is the important part. You could do some simple really beautiful PS mock ups and use them as some stills to show the potential client your work. But in the end I think it really comes down to how you relate to your client, and not how thick your portfolio is, or even who your clients are.

Now, that is not to say if you have a client like say IBM or MS or SUN or some other fortune 500 that you don't want to have that in there. Because that is really different being able to say you did the website for a large globally known company can generate you more business.

But I am not thinking that this is one of those companies, the mom and pop shops are IMO just as valuable as a mock up you made for fun as an example.

Dan @ Code Town

I used to have a problem with this, these days i don't worry too much.

Try as much to give what the client wants and make them aware of any issues relating to colours etc. At the end of the day if you get paid then you did your job.

After all that if its a good site, put it up as your work - if its a site your not proud of don't advertise it as your work. Simple.