wtf? client changes mind? 1919 Responses

Last post: 2 years, 7 months ago | Thread started: Jul 4, 09, 7:30 a.m.

RespondNew TopicDisable Images

• mikabast

  there was an id job i made about 2 months ago for this client. before you ask this was a free stuff, because these guys provided us hosting, domains, servers, and other stuffs for free before.

  i made 3 completely different logos, and the client said: "'A' sucks, 'B' sucks, 'C' sucks too but i like the idea behind it"... so i made 4 new versions of C, quiet different ones. Than he picked one of them, i worked a bit on it, made some color variations, etc... after that he chose on of them, and everybody was happy...

  ...today he called me and said: "hey! do you remember that other one you've made? the 'A'... i changed my mind, and i want that one... just try some other fonts or something"

  seriously... this guy's taste totally changes every month.

  ever met someone like him? how can you stop it? don't get me wrong, these guys helped us a lot, but i don't want to redesign their logo every month...

  Jul 4, 09, 7:30 a.m. – Permalink

• kelpie

  wtf? bear shits in wood?

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 7:33 a.m. – Permalink

• drgss

  What part of your job do you not understand? Designers are really hairdressers -- communication is important

  • Bullshit. Designers are closer to architects than anything.– itsmitch1/5

    itsmitch's website (from profile)
    http://www.google.no…– drgss2/5

    *smashes in ismitchs skull and kills him in one blow– drgss3/5

    Nah, not architects! That's way to serious for most designers. Hairdressers or stylists fits much better :>)– haydenpeek4/5

    yes. we all drive audi TT's. lol.– akrokdesign5/5

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 7:33 a.m. – Permalink

• jamble

  You're one lucky fucker if this is the first client who's ever done this to you.

  Also, don't work for free or if you do, at least limit the number of revisions.

  • +1. Don't do free work. Unless it's for a good cause and you get creative control. End of story.– itsmitch1/3

    agree, free work not a good idea unless there's something in it for you.– haydenpeek2/3

    It's not free is it!? He said it was work in kind in return for lots of hosting etc.– babaganush3/3

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 7:36 a.m. – Permalink

• hargbine

  especially if you work for free or trades:
  GET their signed approvals, and tie the amount of work you are doing to something tangible trade-wise. That way they know can see how much is involved.

  then when he changes his mind you have a sig to refer back to and can say, "i'll take a look at these other versions, etc etc, and then you owe me a new G5"

  • G5?– neferiu

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 7:38 a.m. – Permalink

• itsmitch

  I have a set of rules for pro-bono (read: free) projects. The client has to have a legitimate not-for-profit company serving humanitarian, environmental or animal rights issues. They have to sign a contract like any other client. It's given a budget (in hours) like any other project and if they go over budget they can choose to pay me or find somebody else. I only do a specific amount of pro-bono each year and pick the clients based on which will have the biggest impact on the community.

  Making a set of rules for these projects and treating it like any other project will force clients getting free work to take it seriously and not act like a jackass. I'm guessing this guy wouldn't have qualified for any work in the first place which is probably your real problem.

  • +1– miesvan

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 8:23 a.m. – Permalink

• MrDaro

  Ask them to upgrade your hosting service.

  • this costs the hosting guy one minute of work– raf

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 8:24 a.m. – Permalink

• janne76

  a. don't do free stuff
  b. don't do it in exchange for other services either
  — as you will have no rights, unless stated in a well-formed contract in which delivered services are exactly specified and the proposal has been signed of for execution.

  one good learning moment for you there, young lad.

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 9:02 a.m. – Permalink

• VectorMasked

  recent grad?

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 9:15 a.m. – Permalink

• seeessess

  tell client to fuck off? No one is forcing you to have hosting/provide free work with them.

  DO NOT GIVE CLIENTS VARIATIONS, IT JUST CONFUSES THEM AND WASTES YOUR TIME (sorry for shouting). In all honesty, if you get a proper brief in the first place then there is no need for 3 routes/variations. When I was freelance I knew within the first 10 minutes of meeting a client whether they were suitable clients. If not, I would politely tell them "thanks but no thanks".

  • .– boobs1/5

    .– janne762/5

    ..?– seeessess3/5

    ?
    
    .– VectorMasked4/5

    !– janne765/5

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 9:21 a.m. – Permalink

• NONEIS

  He probably showed it to his wife/mom.

  • Bill him for the changes.– NONEIS1/3

    He will stop.– NONEIS2/3

    Rail his wife.– iCanHazQBN3/3

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 9:52 a.m. – Permalink

• Pupsipu

  this is a normal psychological thing with people. Give them choices and they'll never be happy, will constantly think they made the wrong choice and keep changing their mind.

  I say use all 3 logos on different versions of the site and measure conversions. That way there is less psychological attachment.

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 1:12 p.m. – Permalink

• cannonball1978

  this "show 3 versions thing" is kinda self-defeating

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 3:20 p.m. – Permalink

• boobs

  Tell him you're finished with the free portion. If he wants anything else, you charge him the full overwhelming rate!

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 3:35 p.m. – Permalink

• mikabast

  thanks guys, i learned a lot

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 4:45 p.m. – Permalink

• raf

  Also, to give you hosting, unless your site is extremely popular and is a bandwidth hog, it costs a hosting company nothing - a few minutes to set up the account. A .com domain costs $8 a year.

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 5:28 p.m. – Permalink

• 5timuli

  You're lucky they didn't ask for A, B and C rolled into 1.

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 5:31 p.m. – Permalink

• memorize

  • How many times have I been here.
    Our company provides free production in exchange for purchasing airtime. Man we get some shitty clients.– tedvandell

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 6:54 p.m. – Permalink

• visionary

  get paid

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 4, 09, 7:03 p.m. – Permalink

• vaxorcist

  get paid, and when client changes mind, whip out a "change order" form, with an hourly rate for the change attached...

  But seriously, these "client change icebergs" are things that can be avoided somewhat in the future, if you start your journey by steering a better course, where you establish such mundane things as "business objectives" and "target audience" and "approval process" before doing any production work. Some clients resist this, as it forces them to confront their ADHD....

  

  You must be logged in to add a note. Login now or register for an account.

  Cancel

  Dog-earJul 5, 09, 10:30 a.m. – Permalink