You will encounter demanding clients from time to time. However, you will come across web design clients with a special place reserved in hell.
But seriously, they can cause you a lot of unnecessary trouble not just professionally but also personally.
You probably took the job with a good feeling about the client, only for him or her to flip a switch and show his or her real dark side.
If you haven’t encountered these people yet, then make sure to keep it that way.
In this post, I’ve listed terrible web design clients you should stay away from at all costs. Make sure to learn how to spot them and prepare yourself for any potential troubles.
A client who suddenly disappears
Even big companies manage to go entirely without a trace, or others call ghosting.
How do you deal with that?
Make sure you have a contract to solidify your relationship with the client. If you’re doing a big project, a deal is a no brainer.
Furthermore, it’s best to ask for an upfront payment and incremental payments after you finish specific tasks.
There is no right amount for the upfront payment, but you can try to ask for 30% to 50% and try to find the middle ground with your client.
Clients who are willing to put the money on the table show how serious they are, thus, providing you the security that they are interested in the project completion.
A clueless client with no clear direction
Clients, especially first-time ones, are quite problematic when they are unsure of their requirements.
These uncertain clients are sometimes hard to contact and give as little as possible when you are at your every meeting.
Plus, they usually have the shiny object syndrome. After following the directions they gave you to a tee, they’ll throw in more ideas that will clutter the design instead of make it better. And they’re doing this while running their businesses with whatever sticks like running webinars to their customers using WebinarJam or following conflicting advice from different gurus.
Don’t get me wrong: they mean well. However, they will probably be the death of you,
But seriously, having these types of clients can be a double-edged sword.
Sometimes, you’d want your freedom to do things your way. However, that can also backfire on you when the client doesn’t accept your final output.
To deal with them, ask them to answer a form that contains all you need before you finally accept the project.
This will help both sides communicate, saving you unnecessary costs and efforts, and set all their expectations correctly.
A demanding and strict client
When you meet a client with particular demands, do not hesitate to charge for more.
For example, when a client asks you to sign an NDA, you won’t be able to showcase your work and may lose any potential income. Thus, charging a premium price is the best solution.
Carefully read contracts and consult with lawyers when you feel necessary, especially for huge companies with big projects.
Every little detail can have a considerable impact on your work and your future business deals.
A client full of ideas
Some clients have no clue what to ask you, and others have all the ideas in the world for a single web design.
It’s best when your clients know what they want, but the problem arises when the client has too many of them.
These clients tend to be indecisive and change decisions in the middle of production.
To handle these types of clients, make sure to ask for design specifications with as many details as possible.
Establish a maximum number of revisions allowed in your contract and make sure to take upfront payments for your security.
A scope creep
Scope creep or sometimes called feature creep in product management, refers to a tendency for the requirements and deliverables of a project to slowly expand or become distracted over time.
As the term says, it sneaks up on you and hits you where it hurts.
It occurs when the features of a project expand with no warning.
Dealing with changing scope is a nasty surprise, and it can both happen intentionally and unintentionally.
Some changes may not affect the overall result. However, issues happen when your client gets sidetracked on other things and asks you something out of your agreed scope of work.
It’s natural for a client to change their mind in the middle of the project creation, but make sure that your previous works are protected and won’t go into waste by having a contract and charging more when it happens.
Scope creep can lead to project failure, so make sure you have a clearly defined scope on any project you accept. Set an agreement with a client, be transparent, and make sure that everything is clear on their expected deliverables.
Conclusion
Every new client is a different story. They can make your life hell, but they can also put you into better positions and land you more significant projects.
Don’t let bad clients extract work from you than what you agreed upon. Don’t hesitate to stand your ground and establish yourself as an authority while still building a harmonious and professional relationship with them.
Related posts:
Designer to Client: Challenges Designers Face With Clients On a Daily Basis
