A client treats me like a tool - advice?
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- panacea0
"Fuck off" works.
- identity0
if you don't accept the money, they can't control you!
-Bill CunninghamI'd suggest you look at it as a job that affords you the freedom to do your own work? Or work for a client (non-profit, friend, etc.) that maybe can't pay you much but gives you more creative freedom. I struggled with this for a long time myself...
- bjladams0
is he disrespecting you, or just asking for a straight answer?
- Hombre_Lobo0
to drop a truthful yet cheesy quote,
Elenor roosevelt -
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.Such a true phrase. Speak up, make sure they know they can't disrespect you.
- or leave and avoid the stress, but its better to learn how to deal with these types for future problems.Hombre_Lobo
- BK0
Shank to the kidneys.
- fyoucher10
Is this other employee a producer? If so, there's prolly other factors involved, like schedule or maybe the current design was already approved by the design director or client. Hopefully you gave reasons as to why it looked like shit and solutions as to what can make it better.
If not, what moldero said, speak up. You're the expert. That's why they hired you, right?
I tell my clients all the time what can be improved and what looks like shit. Most of the times they agree but I'd also try to keep an open mind to things and listen to what they have to say.
Whatever you do, don't go apeshit and go burning bridges over this. State your point to this employee AND the person you report to. If shit fails, you know you've done all you can do.
- This other employee is their "tech guy" who's tried to make a website designAdamWintle
- Yeah, say what you have to say.fyoucher1
- mikotondria30
"Listen, dick, you pay me because I know how to this shit and you don't. I don't work FOR you, I'm DOING work, for you, and you bet your ass if you dick me around doing the job, I'm going to dick you around for more money; my skills are worth more than your money, are we clear ?"
- AdamWintle0
Today I explained the design someone else had already made had lots of room for improvement, I suggested what could be changed. In reply they said my ideas were wrong because I didn't know their target audience and I wasn't in that age group. They said they know the audience more than me because they are the same age as them and I am 30 years younger.
So that's the card they play with most design decisions, "they just know better", what can I say back to that?
I said the user could be different from them and we should do some user research and make some user personas, but they didn't want to spend extra time researching some facts.
Pretty tricky, right?
- prophetone0
then build it, get paid, move on
- vaxorcist0
I once had a CD who taught me to learn how to deal with very, very oppositional people with no taste......
Strongly advocate the opposite of what you want, and wait for them to contradict you,... once they think they've come up with the right idea, which is obviously the opposite of what you said, it can be approved.
i.e.
you say "Wow, that logo REALLY, REALLY has to be BIGGER!!!!"
they say "Now that you say that, I think it should be very small and discreet"
- ahli0
Its actually very tricky being a designer and developer.
I can wear both hats, and have found it very frustrating at times, often I'm brought in to "just build it ffs" so that's what I do, any design advice/opinions are ignored.
Its good that you care, but if they want you to build it, just do the build get paid and move on. Don't take things so personal. As for this guy, that's a hard one to deal with!
- fair point! if a plumber who is also an interior decorator came to fix a leek, then gave advice on your living room, I be like :OHombre_Lobo
- hans_glib0
if you've offered to look at the design and they have said no thanks, then just leave it at that and just build the thing. if you continue to bitch and moan about it then they'll think you're a pain to work with. remember, a client always gets the work they deserve...
- d_rek0
Command respect - don't ask for it.
Be an expert - not merely a professional.
Go for the jugular -drink their blood.
- toodee0
Do as Hans_glib says.
It sounds shit but if you're a freelancer you're hired to fit in and get the job done. I wouldn't want a freelancer contradicting me the whole time.
Sometimes people will want to hear you expert opinion, sometimes they just want you to do a specific task.
- 23kon0
like formed said, divorce yourself from the design of things and just do what they ask to keep them happy and so that you get paid.
At the same time, start looking around for another job looking for somewhere that will appreciate your creativity and opinions.
When you get offered a new job and hand in your resignation to your current position/contract, make sure that you give it to a company director rather than the guy you have a gripe with. In the letter explain that you liked the company but you had a problem with the negativity from the knob that's giving you jip.
- animatedgif0
Need the money? stay on and shit out something substandard and get out of there and never mention it again. They're not going to respect you so the work is doomed anyway.
Don't need the money? get rid.