Battle Royale: Clients vs. Vendors

A Disclaimer

This was initially posted on the factor[e] design initiative blog but we took it down. I agree with the removal 100% and in retrospect I should have realized and passed it around the office for a pre-publishing discussion. But hindsight is 20/20.

I’ve made it available here because I got a lot of feedback which made me think. This topic continually hits a chord in creative industries. The work we do is important and is frequently treated like the parody examples in this video. When writing this post I was thinking more about helping people learn from my mistakes rather than slamming clients.

So… On that note, here’s the post. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

We’ve all had a client like this. You know the ones I mean. The client who thinks they know what you do better than you do. The client who wants you to do what you do within their budget regardless of the size of the project. The client who come back requesting changes after you’ve done what was agreed upon, but wants it included in the initial estimate. The client who, after showing the final product to his mom, wants to start over.

The trick of filtering clients like this out early is a tough one and when you are hungry it’s sometimes hard to say no. But there are ways of keeping the situation from spiraling out of your control. Here’s a few of my thought based on personal experiences.

Write everything down

Have a clear and well worded document stating what you will do, how you will do it and what is expected of the client. This will give you a much stronger leg to stand on after the client talks to his mom.

Get a signature

Make the document legally binding. With a signed contract that clearly states what you will do, you will only have to refer to it when they want to make changes outside of the initial scope.

Stay the course

Don’t do the highlights if all they are going to pay for is the trim. If you give an inch, they’ll take a mile.

Charge for extra work

If they insist that you do more, then insist that they pay for it. Your time is as valuable as theirs. If they won’t work for free, how can they expect you to?

Dot your i’s and cross your t’s

If you complete everything that is expected of you it is much easier to ask them to return the favour.

Try to listen more than you talk

This is the single biggest problem I have learned from my experience with freelance work. Make sure you completely understand the expections of the person across the table from you. Never assume and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you understand what the client expects it becomes much easier to deliver.

Don’t be afraid to say no

If you aren’t capable of doing what the client is asking for or if you don’t feel comfortable with the request say no. It is easier to not do something than to take on more than you can chew and suffer the consequences. This will also help considerably with your stress levels.

It works both ways

If there are any clients-side people reading this, these suggestions also apply to you! If both sides of the table have the same information in front of them, there will be no room for any miscommunication.

If you have any more thought or tips to share, please let [me] know in the comments.