Comments on: How graphic designers should tackle difficult clients

By: Streamlinedbiz

Streamlinedbiz — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:39:31 +0000

I thought I’d help mine out by listing what I expect them to know – My list is a lot tamer than yours though

By: T

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:13:13 +0000

Paul I get that. Many times a client’s “ignorance” towards our job is simply the result of never having worked with one. Those people usually warm up to the process and become good clients.

On the other hand, there’s as@#$%es who constantly keep trying to exploit, lowball and even undermine the profession. Usually as a result of an inferiority complex, almost always from them having a bulls**t job (*cough*…concierge…*cough*). Those are what I call difficult clients. Toxic, toxic.

As you can see I’m a big time bigot but holy hell am I respectful with my ‘good’ clients. After going through a few no-pay dissappearos, I value the good ones that much more.

Not sure if I make sense? Yes? No? Sometimes passion impairs my grammar…

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:15:05 +0000

@ T, it’s a fine line to be walked with pushing a client to do what’s right and “good” and delivering what they want (at times very much the “un-good”).

Sometimes compromises need to be made at the time on a small issue, in hopes of further building trust with the client so the next time a bad direction is being discussed they’ll listen to your advice.

By: T

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:26:52 +0000

This article is total crap. Until the world acknowledges Graphic Design as a legitimate profession, we will be looking at shitty design everywhere around us. All of them because of the client’s lack of understanding in what works and what doesn’t.

If a client wants a weak hired drawing man to ride, hire your “talented” nephew who took high school computer arts. This article insults me deeply and should be removed so that gullible designers fresh out of school don’t lose their self-respect.

By: justliekthat

justliekthat — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:08:21 +0000

@ AC – that is great, yes we should fight it out & get paid what we worked for

By: AC

AC — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:12:11 +0000

I’ve just faced a brash and rude client who I almost thought I’ve learnt to deal with over a period of time after we worked on a couple of projects together.
Working without any advance from her and just buying the “you know me”..’i'll pay you’..’i'm awaiting my payments too’.from the cliient, put me in a soup!..
I ws overly patient with her untill she totally ticked me off one day.
She wasnt the direct client, was an event person or so..
So yea..was as unorganised as someone could be!..and completely unprofessional ( i know I’m wrong to say that after being so unprofessional as to begin work without an advance!!I regret it soo much!)
But after having wrked with her over a couple of projects- (with delayed payments most of the times..bounced cheques..etc.) she called up once again and wanted me to finsih off a certain logo wrked upon by another designer and left incomplete ( i can completely understand why tht designer must’ve left it half done now!)
So her meeting ws the very next day with tht client who’s logo ws left incomplete n in her desperation she wantd me to touch it up…pleading..begging everything..I finally agreed to touch it up..using her locked pdf file!..I saved her ass with whatever i cd design her n wrked on war footage leaving aside all other projects n now its been 4 mnths and above n I’m only chasing her for the payment.!(..she believes it ws hardly smthin..!!(though i had clearly mentioned the price before taking up the project)
In another instance with the same client she suddenly shows up from nowhere and pleads me to complete a sudden project on a tight timeline.
I sent her the details of what files I must have before we begin. Halfway through it n she wasnt even reay with her final text and we were using dummy text …the logo wasnt there and she expected me to get in touch with her clients company to get their logo!!I mean how idiotic was she!!..when the project was nearing complletion she was fuming and fussing under pressure from the client to make sure it is delivered on time…Being unable to deal with that pressure..she throws all her frustration on the designer..expects me to take it saying ” a designer is in a service industry”..”they neeed to be hospitable and generous to the clinet even if they verbally abuse them” n she was verbally abusing me!! ! This was the end.
All my hours of patient talking with her collapsed.She had pushed it..realy pushed her limits and tried a lil too much of my patience…I was at ugliest best and dint spare the woman any more chances to cross the limit..n when the momment was superly heated her BLAME GAME BEGAN!!
I dont see any reason why in such a situation must i keep quiet n listen to the client..If deadlines are followed and the client falters I dont see any reason to hesitate to make it clear..Because the one who wins the blame game ..takes the cake..Had I not stood up for myself and argued with the client she was more than willing to want to pay me less for delayed project delivery despite it all being her fault.!..
Iif you see an evil streak in your client..DONT GIVE UP!!..FIGHT IT OUT! and make sure you dont get run down by sm frustrated person looking for a freelance designer who can take all the punches they want you to in the name of “your profession demands this..n that”

Phew!..Thanks for reading..Please help!