Re: arrogance in webdesign errr....clients?

Let's do this.... shift this conversation into the arrogance of clients and 
how we run our businesses.   Many clients come into most situations with 
the "customer is always right" attitude.  With the Web in particular 
thinking without a doubt they know what should be done with their Web 
site.  These ideas are mostly based on whatever hype they have been exposed 
to, their length of time online, what "their friends say", etc.  Not much 
that would validate to most of us.  ;-)  Does it mean they are wrong?  Many 
times, yes.  This is where our job comes in.

I look at my job, as Kym and others so eloquently stated, to inform clients 
of the issues and matters that are important to them being as successful as 
/they want to be/.   Whether they will "like" the information I provide or 
not really is not my concern.  The reality of what they need to know, 
however, I take very seriously.

Even when providing this information, based on 6 years of running a 
successful consulting business, proven methodology, clients who would rave 
that the information and practices provided, if followed, provides 
tremendous results..... if I had $1 for every time a client ignored my 
advice because:

"I don't like it".
"It's my site and I want it that way."

I would be retired right now!  ;-)  Sometimes no matter how much you advise 
certain folks, they are still going to do what they want.  Here in the 
states we live in an environment of "I want it now", "I want it free or 
cheap", "I want it the way I want it".  They don't have valid reasons why - 
they just want what they want - sorta like 2 year olds who don't understand 
when first told "no!".

That makes all of our jobs that much more difficult.  First, in making sure 
your sales and development process is one that provides all that 
information so that clients can make an informed decisions.  Secondly in 
constantly targeting the type of client who is open to being involved in 
technology for what it is - not what they want it to be - which means 
relying on the advise of a proven successful professional and the ability 
to form a true long term partnership.  That is where the true profit is at 
for all of us.  Your long term relationships with folks who can get beyond 
the "but I want it" attitude, who are open to new ideas and willing to have 
you guide them.  ;-)

I guess what I am saying is in this entire thread - everyone is right.  We 
all have strong opinions and express them differently due to our 
cultures/languages of how and what type of business we want to 
run.  However, no amount of presell or offers of knowledge acquisition will 
help those clients who are not open to not always having their way.

Clients are literally warned in the beginning stages that those phrases I 
call the "But I Want it Syndrome" are not the appropriate reasons to make a 
business decision which is what this is - but they still do.   And, as 
others have stated, you give them the info, and if they pull the "it's my 
site and that's what I want", then I go into "tell and do mode".  They know 
the variables, they chose to ignore them and I'll be there to help them 
compensate for those decisions when they rear their ugly heads - and they 
always do!  ;-)

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, let's move it over to Business 
- where we have been a bit slow lately and I would love to see some of you 
there!  ;-)

/j

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