subject: Avoiding problems with clients and keeping the ones you have [print this page] Avoiding problems with clients and keeping the ones you have
Every time people request me to design websites, I buckle my belt and steady myself for what could become a very rough ride.
Odd? Not really.A few years back, a pal wanted to setup a internet site. I was a newbie then, a freshman in the site design trade. I was excited as well as raring to go. They say looking back, you always have 20-20 vision, boy, do I see clearly now! The first hitch was, my friend was in an business I was only loosely familiar with, he was just starting out in the tourism field, and was himself, not yet completely grounded...he too was a bit of a newbie, but a internet site was a vital part of his plan. As a friend and a first-class artist it made sense that he asked me, plus, I needed the cash!
Here was his brief: "I need a good site".That's it. There was nothing after that period!
I actually scrolled down the correspondence, just in case I had missed supplementary detail, but there really was nothing else. I contacted him back asked for details, and all he had for me was, "I want the site to be eye-catching, and cover tourism". I explained to him that I needed prepared articles, company profiles, catalogues, brochures as well as other connected data to give me a good idea what I might put in the web site and also to maintain a standard look and feel across print and web. Long story short: I ended up making things up, just to get the site finished in what I thought was "nice" and "attractive".
It took 6 weeks to get the material done because although I made up most of the copy, it notwithstanding had to be based on truth, and on what my friend offered. You know that sensation you have when you are finished with a tough project? I had that the day I presented my conclusive version of his website. I was done...done..done.
Being a Zen-inspired designer, I had made a light, unpretentious, but, admittedly beautiful site. But 'attractive' is relative, as I discovered then. In reaction to my presentation, my friend went "So you are going to add more images, right?". There is a sinking feeling you get when you realize you still have further work to do on a project you are standing by to throw in the 'done' bin. I had that feeling right then.
WHAT I LEARNTOn the whole customers do not recognize that design is not a straightforward cut, copy and paste process. It really is turning ideas into creative concepts, and concepts into pixels, and those pixels into well structured XHTML, CSS and other critical concerns. It is not a walk in the park, and its far from doing a quick MS Word page layout! These days, I make sure I not only safeguard myself with an airtight contract, but also make sure I fully educate my client as regards what is involved in the process. We are a team getting into a relationship, and thus, a common understanding is needed and critical to success.
Consequently, next time you sit down with a first time customer, even if they have worked with other creative designers elsewhere..make sure you go through all the key steps so you are both...on the same page!
