Client Fatigue - How to keep them moving?
pc-f (26 pencils) | Thu, 2009-03-12 20:04As a freelancer with 5 client websites in progress, I'm in need of a morale boost. All needed their websites asap yet I'm sitting here waiting on them. (Yes, of course I have tons of manuals to read, training dvds to view but you know what I mean) I'm waiting on decisions, content, photos – all things that were addressed at the proposal stage and supposedly ready-to-go. I have tried to-do lists, deadlines, etc. These are small projects that should take weeks not months. Any tips on how you manage to keep your clients in motion?
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Honey (hi there), I've been waiting for one of my clients to cough up her Web site content for over a year now. She's dragged her heels on other things, too. Your question is probably going to make us all think of times when we've been in similar circumstances. So...off the top of my head....
It's odd that you're having this trouble with five clients all at once. It could be that they've all gotten in over their heads financially and are afraid to proceed, because when you finish (presumably) they have to make a final payment to you that they maybe can't afford. Try discussing payment options with them.
It could be that they're just busy, especially if they're start-up businesses, or going through a massive reorganization. If so, they have so many things competing for their attention. Don't fall into the trap of becoming their personal secretary by doing all those checklists and things like that. You've done that and it doesn't work. You probably have the advantage of being one of the few professionals they're dealing with who gave them a contract specifying benchmark dates for every stage of your project. You can help them cut through the clutter of all the stuff they're juggling by reminding them about that contract and telling them they need to hold up their end of the bargain or the deal's off. Simple as that. It can be done nicely, but maybe it should be done. Maybe you could simply redraft the contract to make it more realistic for them to honor. Or you could offer to redraft the contract to give yourself an opportunity to make extra money doing what they seem to be having so much trouble doing. Let 'em know what writing, editing, and stock photos cost. That might motivate them.
Or try lifting the lid on a basket of live, poisonous snakes and asking once more, nicely, if they have their stuff for you yet. This involves going to their place of business (not to mention having to scare up the snakes AND the basket in advance), so schedule this for when you have errands to run anyway, and plenty of time to decompress in a bar somewhere. One that won't give you grief about the snakes.
Yeah. It's been that kind of a week here. Sorry ;-)
Mara
I appreciate the reminder to not be their secretary. And hearing that you've been waiting a year for one - that's either hilarious or pathetic. Let's do hilarious. (actually I have one of those too - Oh, my, I had forgotten her!) I love the snake idea, followed by the bar too. I do need to remember they have more than a website to attend to. And yes, most are newbies,who soon realize writing isn't easy and photo research is time consuming so maybe they had good intent but the reality is this takes a lot of time. I have a background in aviation and expect quick decisions and precise times - time for me to forget that and relax.
Thanks for taking the time to help. I always enjoy reading your responses here and need to visit more often.
Oh, I see why this is driving you so crazy -- not that it wouldn't drive anyone crazy. Your aviation background explains a lot. I have a background in television news. For years, if someone asked me what time it was, I'd tell them down to the tenth of a second! And deadlines! You honor them, or you die -- metaphorically in my former work; actually in yours.
I hope some of the other Creative Biters (second "t" omitted on purpose, for fun) here will have advice for you, too. I'll eavesdrop, if you don't mind ;-)
Please do visit -- and comment -- more often. You sound like a nice person.
Mara
Hi,
Thanks for this useful information. I'm a new one in this forum. I must appreciate the tools provided by you. Please keep updating me in this regard.
CSK
In the big co. (like I'm in) they close the Job bag and bill the client after a certain period of time has gone by.
If they wish to continue they will say "hey I'm not paying for something that's not finished!" Then you re-negotiate at that point.
"well according to the contract you we to give me xyz. If you can't sign off this project then I must be paid for what I have done up to this point."
They could either pay you or say "Look we REALLY want to finish give us more time" then YOU say "Pay me up to this point and then when you've got your xyz's we'll arrange something." (i.e open a new Job bag for this project)
It kinda kicks them in the pants a bit to get moving when they get a bill. . . lol
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
With Web sites, get a down payment to get started. Then arrange payments throughout the process (how many depends on how big the site is, of course). And a final payment just before the site is uploaded to their servers (or however else you deliver it to them).
Unlike print work, Web sites are tedious, and seemingly never-ending. The client knows they want a site, they want it to look "cool" - but really have nothing to put on it in some cases. Some actually have little reason to even have one beyond just wanting a presence on the Web. At least with print ads, there are newspaper/magazine/print deadlines - so eventually it has to get approved. But with Web, it's "we'll get to that," or "can you throw something in there." Changes are made too easily, on a whim. "I saw this on XYZ.com, can we add that too."
These are just some of the reasons I tend to avoid Web work (though it's getting more difficult to do so). I'll design the home and one or two interior pages in Photoshop, then hand it off to the client or a Web design firm so they can deal with the actual content and coding. It's just easier and more profitable that way.
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This is something I think we all deal with, and I'm glad you brought it up. There are some good responses here that I will be taking heed of.
My usual response to this kind of thing is to politely send a message each week reminding them of the deadlines we've set. I use a project management system that keeps milestones and task lists at the forefront, but deadlines still pass...
spigotdesign.com
I'd agree that a down payment keeps clients engaged. :) Also, before you start any project, find out what the client's budget and timeframe are; then you can plan ahead and keep your cashflow going.
If you've turned down any work waiting on these clients you're experiencing a cashflow bottleneck; not good for business.
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Natobasso
dirtandrust.com
"Powerpoint is not a design application"
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Dirt and Rust