Hilma,

I know exactly where you're coming from.  Let me make a few points of my own
and chime in here:

My experience has taught me that the clients that are like this usually wind
up COSTING you money in the long run.  They are, as a general rule, slow to
pay, quick to criticize (not constructively normally), and just about
impossible to please.  My advice, should you keep the client, would be to
get some VERY clear guidelines regarding payment, scope of the project, and
the ultimate goal that you are achieving.  The "ultimate goal" should be
pretty explicit even including site layout, purpose of the site, imagery,
etc.  As far as doing 4 or 5 mockups, I DON'T do that unless they are
willing to pay me for it.  What I usually do is to ask the client to give me
a sample of 4 or 5 websites that they like.  I then know what they have in
mind and can keep the elements from the various websites in mind as I design
the one for the client.  I don't "copy" the other web sites, but keep the
main elements in mind.  This has quickly become the biggest time saver for
me.

I've been through the scenario that I've had to design a home page about 4
times, when EACH time was EXACTLY what the client asked for.  I've also been
through the scenario where the client would ask for revisions OVER and OVER
and OVER, even repeating some of the earlier revisions in later versions.
At some point you have to put your foot down and require the client pay for
the additional cost.

Ultimately, the client is paying you for a service and should get what
he/she wants, even if it is ugly as can be AS LONG AS you are in the clear
regarding copyrights, etc.

It's a fine line sometimes knowing the right way to go.  Time will teach you
that ultimately you must stay in business by making enough money per hour
(or per project).  You will learn to spot the potential "problems" and to
deal with the BEFORE they progress into problems.  Usually, this can be done
tactfully, but at times bluntness is the only solution.

My $.02 worth,
Keith D Sellars
WebGraffix
www.webgraffix.com

"Making database sites seem easy"

----- Original Message -----
From: "Hilma" <Hilma(at)hilma.freeserve.co.uk>
To: <hwg-basics(at)hwg.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 4:13 AM
Subject: Is the customer always right?


> I'm cross-posting this query from another source;
> i too am interested in any comments:
>
> Just pondering about sites specs and customers. One of our customers is
> being a little errr "dynamic" with her opinions. What do you do when a
> customer insists on something you really don't want to do. One example is
> she really wants a "click here to enter " page (which I hate). I've tried
> explaining the stats - that maybe 20% of customers leave when they see
such
> a page but its not working.
>
> There are also some problems with what she wants the links labelled as and
> some of the sections...For example they wanted an "about us" page and now
> want a "who we are" page too. Well its fine by me but its a bit
> pointless...The question is how much of this reflects on the site
designer?
>
> Another thing that bugs me (whilst I'm ranting) is the choice of
> colours....If they choose really grotty colours or insist you change some
of
> the page you've designed to, say, vivid yellow or something horrid.....
>
> Anyway you get the idea<g> Where do you draw the line on the customers
> ideas...or do you go along with all of it knowing it will look like the
dogs
> dinner and reflect on you? I suppose there will always be grey areas...I
> don't much like Flash but I'll do it if they want it..same with
frames...But
> what about the things that look really awful, that make the site
navigation
> confusing, or are simply bad design which you don't want to do?
>
>
>
> opinions?!
>
>
>

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