Isn't technology supposed to make life easier?
ireid (1283 points) | Fri, 2008-03-28 15:07So I'm doing a brochure for a client, (nice people BTW very accommodating) and I am sending them PDFs and they have been adding comments for changes to the PDF and this is fine by me that way its clear to know what change and where.
The client called me to say he's got some text changes and didn't want to type them out on the pdf as 'yellow balloon comments' So I told him that all he had to do was use the text tool in the "document and mark up section" in the tool bar and just change the text to what he wanted. . .
I FORGOT to remind him to send it back to me (I mean that would be obvious right?)
I didn't see anything for a few days. He just called me to ask when he'd get the printed brochures. I said "well I didn't see the changes you wanted." He said "But I made the changes myself. Can't you just print it now?" (mind you he just assumed that if he made the changes it would AUTOMATICALLY be update don my side and I'd just send it to the printers)
grrrrr
LOL
I said "uhhh no I still have to make the changes on the artwork and make it press ready to send to the printers." "WHAT!? So I'd have to PAY for those changes?!" "Ummm yeah. . . " "But I MADE THEM MYSELF why should I have to pay you if I made them myself!?"
I patiently explained. "If you want the changes made you should have sent it to me on the PDF that way I can see what needs changing and I'll send it back to you with the updated info for you to approve."
"BUT I MADE THE CHANGES MYSELF! so I'll come across with a print out with the changes on it but I'm not paying for these last changes. . ."
....
and they say technology is supposed to make our lives easier! :P lol
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
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That's a double-edged blade. On one hand you have the ease and time-saving aspects of a product, once learned, but on the other you have the learning curve to deal with, not to mention the time taken up with upgrade issues.
In fact, this is the main reason I joined CB. There are a lot of creative, tech-savvy people here that have made my trying-to-keep-up-with-it-all a little easier. I think for some clients you really need to spell things out as keeping up to tech requirements, and knowing how they actually work, probably don't factor in high on their priority list.
ttfn!
3dogmama
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber
Remind your client, gently, that him editing text is a fairly minor part of this operation and by him doing that it's not really saving you any time, per se. He's providing you changes. I think in the future make it clear to this client that graphic design formatting, especially text, is labor intensive if done right.
The change he made probably took less than 15 minutes so sure, don't charge him for his time. Just charge him for your time, though.
I have my signature below to encapulate this erroneous belief that just because you can work a program doesn't all of a sudden give you the title afforded to those professionals who use that program. Because your client can enter text into acrobat (or powerpoint!) doesn't make him a designer.
Next time don't include him in the design process and he won't feel entitled to remove that time from your bill.
If he wants to be such a stickler you can explain what graphic design is to him and bill him for that hour of consulting. :)
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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Dirt and Rust
Unfortunately, not Idiot-Proof. :)
Jeeze...
Terrell Thornhill
e-zign Design Group