You will encounter demanding clients from time to time. However, you will come across web design clients with a special place reserved in hell.
But seriously, they can cause you a lot of unnecessary
trouble not just professionally but also personally.
You probably took the job with a good feeling about the
client, only for him or her to flip a switch and show his or her real dark
side.
If you haven’t
encountered these people yet, then make sure to keep it that way.
In this post,
I’ve listed terrible web design clients you should stay away from at all costs.
Make sure to learn how to spot them and prepare yourself for any potential
troubles.
A
client who suddenly disappears
Even big companies
manage to go entirely without a trace, or others call ghosting.
How do you deal
with that?
Make sure you
have a contract to solidify your relationship with the client. If you’re doing
a big project, a deal is a no brainer.
Furthermore, it’s
best to ask for an upfront payment and incremental payments after you finish
specific tasks.
There is no right
amount for the upfront payment, but you can try to ask for 30% to 50% and try
to find the middle ground with your client.
Clients who are
willing to put the money on the table show how serious they are, thus,
providing you the security that they are interested in the project completion.
A
clueless client with no clear direction
Clients,
especially first-time ones, are quite problematic when they are unsure of their
requirements.
These uncertain
clients are sometimes hard to contact and give as little as possible when you
are at your every meeting.
Having these
types of clients can be a double-edged sword.
Sometimes, you’d
want your freedom to do things your way. However, that can also backfire on you
when the client doesn’t accept your final output.
To deal with
them, ask them to answer a form that contains all you need before you finally
accept the project.
This will help
both sides communicate, saving you unnecessary costs and efforts, and set all
their expectations correctly.
A demanding and strict client
When you meet a
client with particular demands, do not hesitate to charge for more.
For example, when
a client asks you to sign an NDA, you won’t be able to showcase your work and
may lose any potential income. Thus, charging a premium price is the best
solution.
Carefully read
contracts and consult with lawyers when you feel necessary, especially for huge
companies with big projects.
Every little
detail can have a considerable impact on your work and your future business
deals.
A
client full of ideas
Some clients have
no clue what to ask you, and others have all the ideas in the world for a
single web design.
It’s best when
your clients know what they want, but the problem arises when the client has
too many of them.
These clients
tend to be indecisive and change decisions in the middle of production.
To handle these
types of clients, make sure to ask for design specifications with as many
details as possible.
Establish a
maximum number of revisions allowed in your contract and make sure to take
upfront payments for your security.
A
scope creep
Scope creep or sometimes called feature creep
in product management, refers to a tendency for the requirements and
deliverables of a project to slowly expand or become distracted over time.
As the term says,
it sneaks up on you and hits you where it hurts.
It occurs when
the features of a project expand with no warning.
Dealing with
changing scope is a nasty surprise, and it can both happen intentionally and
unintentionally.
Some changes may
not affect the overall result. However, issues happen when your client gets
sidetracked on other things and asks you something out of your agreed scope of
work.
It’s natural for
a client to change their mind in the middle of the project creation, but make
sure that your previous works are protected and won’t go into waste by having a
contract and charging more when it happens.
Scope creep can
lead to project failure, so make sure you have a clearly defined scope on any
project you accept. Set an agreement with a client, be transparent, and make
sure that everything is clear on their expected deliverables.
Conclusion
Every new client
is a different story. They can make your life hell, but they can also put you
into better positions and land you more significant projects.
Don’t let bad clients extract work from you than what you agreed upon. Don’t hesitate to stand your ground and establish yourself as an authority while still building a harmonious and professional relationship with them.
Related posts:
Designer to Client: Challenges Designers Face With Clients On a Daily Basis
10 Questions You Need to Be Asking Your Clients
The post 5 Terrible Web Design Clients That Will Make Your Life Hell appeared first on SpyreStudios.
