All designers have had that client where you wonder to yourself, after being knee deep in the project, “why did I take this client?”
Knowing how to spot potentially difficult clients comes with experience. The longer you’re in this business the more you’ll run into them and the easier you’ll be able to spot them.
Always trust your gut if you feel a client is going to be trouble. Below are some of the most common types of clients and the warning signs to watch out for.
The Cheapskate
WARNING SIGN: “work with me on this, I promise to have more work in the future”
or
“give me a good deal, I can send you people who need websites“
They tell you how they have projects or jobs that will need doing in the future and if you cut them a break on the pricing, you’ll get more work.
The truth is they’re more likely to use that same line on the next poor schmuck than actually following through with you. This client is more likely to be a problem when it comes to paying.
WARNING SIGN: “don’t have money to start…we can share earnings…a partnership…”
This is a disaster waiting to happen. They’re basically telling you they have no money for a website, you’re only getting paid if the site or business is successful. This client is also likely to be controlling and dictate most of the website’s look and direction, not much of a partnership.
WARNING SIGN: “can you provide some samples or mock-ups before we agree”
They want you to spend time, design samples and concepts for them, and then they will let you know if you can design their site. You can spend hours upon hours designing concepts and then more hours on their revisions and edits. They want all this done without any money upfront and expect you to be timely.
NEVER agree to this type of arrangement, they can easily say that the samples you provided aren’t “working” for them and they’re moving on. You’re left with nothing but lost time.
The Do-it-Yourself-er
WARNING SIGN: “can you design it so I can easily modify it, I know some HTML“
This is a headache, especially if they don’t want a CMS. They will want the site developed in a way that just makes your job harder. The most annoying part of this arrangement will come once the site is complete, when they can’t figure something out. The best way to handle this type of client is to offer a CMS implementation, if they refuse, just walk away.
The Designer (or at least they think so)
WARNING SIGN: e.g. “…we need more colors, how about using several fonts?“
This one could be hard to spot upfront, unless you ask the right questions. Either this client wants all the bells and whistles and thinks the more you have the better, or they have the worst taste in design and don’t know it. This client will not only make their own website look horrific but also damage your reputation. When an honest person asks them “who the hell did your site?!” your name will be attached.
The Lost Client
WARNING SIGN: They don’t return emails or phone calls until weeks later…if at all
They go missing for weeks at a time. You should be able to tell fairly quickly in the beginning if this is the case. This client can string you along for months and sometimes never finish the project. There is also a high probability of having problems tracking the client when it comes to payment, that’s if you ever finish the project.
The Needy Client
WARNING SIGN: They get irritated when you don’t return emails immediately
Prompt responses are good customer service practices, but there is a limit. They want instant and constant attention and updates on their project. They seem to think you are constantly and always working on their project only. They may also want constant one-on-one meetings to discuss the projects progress. This client will spend a lot of your time.
The Vague Client
WARNING SIGN: “I want a site that is simple yet elegant, I’ll know it when I see it”
If you choose to move forward with this type of client, be warned. You’ll probably spend a lot time submitting samples and revisions. They don’t really know what they want but they think they do, they don’t know in what direction to start in. This client will cause a lot of work for you.
The Control Freak
WARNING SIGN: “spacing between each paragraph should be 2cm, 8cm between menu items…”
A client being meticulous and prepared is one thing, but a client who HAS to have it their way is another. When you receive the initial RFP (request for proposal) that is 20 pages long for a 5 page website, you know you have a control freak on your hands.
This is the type of client that needs everything to be exactly like they want, even if it means producing a bad website. They won’t take your opinion on what’s best for the site. They will want every detail of every step explained, about five times. They will most likely dictate the terms of the agreement and may even have you sign an agreement for them. This type of client takes a lot of patience and most likely isn’t worth it.
If you have any client types, stories or quotes, please share them in the comments.
Thank you – excellent content. I am going to come back and read a lot more later on.
This is a very important article that all designers should read. I will be forwarding this to people. Thanks for sharing.
You are a very clever person!
thank you for this.. by the way, your website layout is wonderful.
Keep up the excellent piece of work, I read few content on this site and I conceive that your blog is very interesting and has sets of excellent information.
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will share this website with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
cool
fantastic
fantastic publish, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector don’t understand this. You must proceed your writing. I am confident, you’ve a great readers’ base already!