Client advice
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- qTime
What advice would you give to a client who starts sending you their own PSD files as guidance plus also wants you to send them the specific fonts so they can play around with the logo you have designed for them.
I was thinking of sacking this client but I really want to keep this project alive.
Is there a kind way of telling them to stop thinking they can bloody design just because they have Photoshop.
- monospaced0
Once the client starts designing, your job is obviously done. Get paid.
- Wolfboy0
surely if they want you send the specific font they have to pay for it on font ownership grounds, maybe that will stop them in their tracks?
- FallowDeer0
Sounds like your to attached to this design, id put it down to experience, get the money and move on
- qTime0
It has the potential to be a good piece of work in my folio but now the client is over stepping the mark. I'd like to give them a warning before I go for the nuclear option.
- But this is a website for your client? not your portfolio, if they are paying let them do what they wantDannyDyer
- Warning? Dude, they're paying the bills, they get to do what they want. And if that means devaluing the job of designer so be itMorning_star
- ...be it.Morning_star
- you're job isn't to just "do what they want"... it's to solve their problem.showpony
- honest0
isn't it illegal to share fonts? Why can't they buy their own?
- qTime0
What do you guys think of this. Would you add anything else?
"I think its best if you tell me what your concerns are with the logo and then I can address them. If you start doing the design work there isn't really much point you hiring me.
At the end of the day its your own personal site and I'm happy to take in all your feedback but you must let the designer do the job of designing."- I'd fire you on the spot. Get over it.Morning_star
- sounds like you cant be a team player. that you can only work alone.. try the client's ideas..e-pill
- get your paycheck.. if you want to stay with client after then do so, if not then move on.e-pill
- do not advise to the client your job has no point. they can get another to fill your seat.e-pill
- The problem is that I have taken on all their advice but I draw the line at them sending me their own designsqTime
- it's just not worth having this argument with this type of client. he won't understand and he'll think you're rude.doesnotexist
- pressplay0
in my experience those clients won‘t listen to reason. they will just go on and keep poaching on your territory, ruining all well based design decisions so you wouldn‘t want to put it in your portfolio at the end anyway
- d_rek0
Client wants to do your job for you and you're complaining?
What's the problem here? Suck it up, get paid, and move on.
- qTime0
I'm finding more and more people do not understand the role of the designer. I've met so many people who think your job is to basically polish some rough sketch that they've done.
To be honest I should have had this chat right at the beginning but I foolishly thought things would be ok.
- qTime0
The phrase, 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing', springs to mind in this situation.
- d_rek0
Yeah... sorry to burst your bubble, but the reality of the design professional is sometimes a harsh one. Your ideas don't always matter. Your talent can simply be a conduit for someone elses ideas. Clients can and often do impose their subjective criticisms and feedback upon your designs, regardless of the research and testing you've done.
However, some clients do 'get it'. These ones make the rest of them worth working with.
- d_rek0
You know... I take the first line back. It's rarely a 'harsh reality'. A harsh reality would be waking up to fucking bombs going off outside of my window. Or to Joseph Kony abducting my children in the middle of the night.
A designer's reality is rarely ever harsh. A client taking some liberties with your shit? If that's the worse thing that can happen to you, and you are so disillusioned by it, then I fear for your career.
- melq0
The sad truth is that everyone assumes that they can add positive input to design projects. For some reason, it's held more in the light of redecorating a room—"Yes, I understand your recommendation, but I would prefer a floral print rather than leather."
It drives me crazy sometimes, but navigating it politically is just as much a skill of the position as is an understanding of color palettes or design software. Just this week I had the president of a bank request specific font changes to a project just before it was sent to print. Fortunately, others in the organization were able to convince him that we were being paid to make those decisions for a reason.
In other words, learn to not take it so personally or you are going to develop ulcers.
- wow, that analogy really helpsmonospaced
- Yep, thats great. Good to hear something sensible on QBNqTime
- Excellent open minded advice. deal with clients in this way as much a part of the job as designing.Hombre_Lobo
- Morning_star0
1. A designer is not an artist.
2. The man that pays, calls the shots.Simples
- Sounds like you bend over everyday and take itqTime
- Not really, we just choose the battles we fight. You are going to loose this one, whatever you do.Morning_star
- bjladams0
that's good @morning_star - we've got 2 kinds of clients:
1: those that pay us to implement their ideas
2: those that pay us to our ideasin the beginning, we had more of the first kind, now we've got more of the second.
i've got 10 people depending on me for food, so as long as the client is in the group that starts with "those that pay us to..." i'm good.
- should say "2: those that pay us to implement our ideas"bjladams
- or "2: those that pay us for our ideas."k_temp
- Well said bj. You have clients who use you as an artworkwer and those who use you as a professional designer.Hombre_Lobo
- < Excellent perspectivee-wo
- 10 people? randy bastard!23kon
- or did you mean employees and not kids lol23kon
- haha - 3 families, but i don't employ the kids!bjladams