Typophile

Client Advice

HaleyFiege

My partner and I took a freelance job a few months ago and the project is basically done.

Unfortunately the clients keep asking for more little things here and there and frankly the tone is starting to get a little bit abusive. Things like constantly calling us at home and during work after we’ve repeatedly asked just to be emailed, telling us their deadlines (often give to us short notice) are more important than our real job etc etc.

The “edits” are starting to get a bit outlandish as well. Things like programing a spell checker into their back end mailing list. (when the the simple answer would just be for them to update their ancient versions of IE)

How do I politely tell them we’d like the rest of our money and to finish off the project? The contract never stipulated how many revisions were to be made (learned my lesson) but this project has gone at least a month over schedule.

Frankly I don’t take abuse very well and I’d really like to finish this on an as polite note as possible. You know reputation and karma and all that.

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belleisle

I’m assuming with a ’new’ client you obtained half the budget up front before undertaking any work?

Start by trying to see the problem from their perspective. Many designers talk about reaching a good rapport with a client as a way of doing good work. This works both ways, they need to believe you are on their side and interested in what they are doing and are’nt just trying, rightly or wrongly, to make a quick buck.

If and when problems start on a job, I try and meet the client face to face as soon as possible. By nature people tend to take a more even handed tone in these situations, then when firing off emails. Its up to you, once in this sitution, to put your case for extra on the budget etc whilst discussing the merits of the job.

There is nothing like money and deadlines to get a client thinking straight.
Its all a game of cat and mouse really.

Don McCahill

Was a spell checker on the mailing list part of the original project? When new things are suggested that were not part of the original agreement, you respond with a cheery “Sure, we can do that. It will only cost $xxxx” (or better yet, change the second sentence to “Would you like me to get a price for that.”

You will find that a lot of essential, important, can’t-live-without-it changes become unnecessary when there is a price tag attached to them.

Patricia Fabricant

And - get caller ID. I had a client who refused to email, only called me, and I just stopped picking up the phone. He’d leave long messages and do the work and email him. He never got the hint, but I didn’t have to talk to him.

BlueStreak

“You will find that a lot of essential, important, can’t-live-without-it changes become unnecessary when there is a price tag attached to them.”

That’s worth repeating.

aluminum

“How do I politely tell them we’d like the rest of our money and to finish off the project?”

You don’t. Politeness has nothing to do with this.

You say “We’ve finished the project as outlined in the proposal. Please pay the attached invoice. As for the additional changes requested, we will prepare a separate proposal and get that to you ASAP.”

Also, get used to using the term ’change order’ ;o)

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