Comments on: Just Say No to Clients http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/ The Web Practitioner's Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Chris perilli http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-42642 Chris perilli Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:04:00 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-42642 Awesome Article! We go thru this almost daily. Glad to see i'm not alone in thinking sometimes you have to say no to clients more than you say yes to them. Agreed they usually respect you more in the end. Awesome Article! We go thru this almost daily. Glad to see i’m not alone in thinking sometimes you have to say no to clients more than you say yes to them. Agreed they usually respect you more in the end.

]]> By: Sam Barnes http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21925 Sam Barnes Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:27:31 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21925 Another great post Rob, although I would just add that sometimes, just sometimes you have to swallow your pride, know when to shut up and just do what the client says rather than damage a relationship. Sometimes, if you feel the client could be a long-term client with loads of decent work for you, it sometimes pay to bite the bullet in the early days in order to build that rapport with a client and earn their trust over time, slowly guiding them towards the right path and the ultimate position of "we're the experts, trust us" and they say "ok" Another great post Rob, although I would just add that sometimes, just sometimes you have to swallow your pride, know when to shut up and just do what the client says rather than damage a relationship.

Sometimes, if you feel the client could be a long-term client with loads of decent work for you, it sometimes pay to bite the bullet in the early days in order to build that rapport with a client and earn their trust over time, slowly guiding them towards the right path and the ultimate position of “we’re the experts, trust us” and they say “ok”

]]> By: Melinda http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21901 Melinda Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:02:08 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21901 This is a daily issue in our experience - both in form and function. Had one client completely ignore my very strong argument against one of her terrible ideas but she insisted. Now she has realized the error, but thinks the blame lies with us because we are experienced and she isn't. I guess she is saying we should have flat out refused to do as instructed. Had we done so, I am sure she would have walked away and refused to pay the invoice for work to that point. So it's a pretty tough call! This is a daily issue in our experience – both in form and function. Had one client completely ignore my very strong argument against one of her terrible ideas but she insisted. Now she has realized the error, but thinks the blame lies with us because we are experienced and she isn’t. I guess she is saying we should have flat out refused to do as instructed. Had we done so, I am sure she would have walked away and refused to pay the invoice for work to that point. So it’s a pretty tough call!

]]> By: Evan Skuthorpe http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21805 Evan Skuthorpe Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:58:20 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21805 a good article. it's probably easier to say no to scope creep as that's more of a business issue where as trying to convince someone of design when they insist on something (corporate style guides and so on...) is much harder I find. a good article. it’s probably easier to say no to scope creep as that’s more of a business issue where as trying to convince someone of design when they insist on something (corporate style guides and so on…) is much harder I find.

]]> By: Tom Hicks http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21773 Tom Hicks Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:59:28 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21773 Great stuff, I think everyone has situations like this! Great stuff, I think everyone has situations like this!

]]> By: Amber Weinberg http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21719 Amber Weinberg Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:27:01 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21719 It used to be so hard for me to tell clients when something was out of spec. Thankfully, with practice it's gotten much easier, and a lot better on my sanity. ;) It used to be so hard for me to tell clients when something was out of spec. Thankfully, with practice it’s gotten much easier, and a lot better on my sanity. ;)

]]> By: Phil Palmieri http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21718 Phil Palmieri Tue, 13 Jul 2010 14:24:53 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21718 Just an add-on to the scope creep.. even if an item is reasonable and will only take an hour, i still give the client an change order for XYZ @ 1 Hour, but then i put the amount due at $0 . This gets them in the habit of committing to items and recognizing the value/process of each change beyond the original agreement. Just an add-on to the scope creep.. even if an item is reasonable and will only take an hour, i still give the client an change order for XYZ @ 1 Hour, but then i put the amount due at $0 .

This gets them in the habit of committing to items and recognizing the value/process of each change beyond the original agreement.

]]> By: James http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21716 James Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:04:45 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21716 I really wish it was that easy. In the real world, some clients simply hold more power in the relationship and you can only advise them on the best course of action and if they're actually willing (we have this client) to throw away money rather than take professional advice, there's not much you can do about it. I really wish it was that easy. In the real world, some clients simply hold more power in the relationship and you can only advise them on the best course of action and if they’re actually willing (we have this client) to throw away money rather than take professional advice, there’s not much you can do about it.

]]> By: Rob Mills http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21702 Rob Mills Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:13:06 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21702 Thanks Chris, glad you enjoyed the article. It is definitely a tricky situation to be in. I think so long as the people saying no remember why (usually for a better end product) then it will all work out ... and as you mentioned, how you say it is usually as important as what you say. Thanks Chris, glad you enjoyed the article. It is definitely a tricky situation to be in. I think so long as the people saying no remember why (usually for a better end product) then it will all work out … and as you mentioned, how you say it is usually as important as what you say.

]]> By: Rob Mills http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21701 Rob Mills Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:10:04 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21701 Thanks Graham. I'm not sure I'm much of a myth or a legend but I appreciate your comment ... see you in work Monday :) Thanks Graham. I’m not sure I’m much of a myth or a legend but I appreciate your comment … see you in work Monday :)

]]> By: Jae Xavier http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21700 Jae Xavier Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:22:29 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21700 "The client isn’t always right." Thank you. I get bashed in the head when I say this. Then they retort "The customer is always right." You know what? I would have a "first time client" prerequisite to read this article first. “The client isn’t always right.”

Thank you.

I get bashed in the head when I say this. Then they retort “The customer is always right.”

You know what? I would have a “first time client” prerequisite to read this article first.

]]> By: Chris http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21699 Chris Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:21:02 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21699 That was a great read. I actually had to tell my newest client that his idea wasn't as good as he thought it was. Of course I didn't say it like that but I used just about everything that was in your paragraph. It makes me feel better about the way i explained it! Thanks for the article! That was a great read. I actually had to tell my newest client that his idea wasn’t as good as he thought it was. Of course I didn’t say it like that but I used just about everything that was in your paragraph. It makes me feel better about the way i explained it! Thanks for the article!

]]> By: Graham Sanders http://thinkvitamin.com/design/just-say-no-to-clients/#comment-21697 Graham Sanders Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:40:14 +0000 http://carsonified.com/?p=6484#comment-21697 Another fascinating article from the man, the myth, the legend that is Robert Mills. I look forward to the next installment. I also look forward to: http://www.designingtheinvisible.co.uk Another fascinating article from the man, the myth, the legend that is Robert Mills. I look forward to the next installment.

I also look forward to: http://www.designingtheinvisible.co.uk

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