i've just sacked a client, yesterday ! its probably my 3rd out of hundreds so its no big deal but it HURT, it hurt because I DID NOT pay attention to the obvious signals that lead up to it in and reflection i KNEW it was gonna happen but i bloody didn't just say NO at the start, so it was my fault totally.
my lesson, and hopefully the last one is SET you standards, do not take the low road, let them know the expections of THEM, let them know what they will get for the price quoted and it will cost them extra otherwise.
I've been far to easy on clients so far ( sounds weird that i should tell a client what to do, but you need to ) , now we agree on terms and dates and thats that, if they miss the mark then they pay extra........... and thats gets them active !!
( the last client was a "mates rates friend" and thats the last of them i do ) because you just upset the client and upset the friend !
2 things " defined roles/expectations" and "accountability" , thes are the 2 biggest things i come across EVERY day even when its established at the start of the job.
Here's how i try to work mostly: client gives me the brief and i give them the quote, client approves the quote, mostly it is 3rd to start , 3rd on design approval, 3rd on completion OF MY WORK....... not their imput of content or getting me the staff names for the "about us page or the office hours orrrrrrrrrrrrrr whatever, thats when my work stops and they need to pay the balance, when they give me all the info i will complete the website and make it live, ALL THE INFO.... as we agreed on a time frame.
i have a clients website that is not online and it now 1 year old ! thats his problem not mine, i have provided my service as promised.
SOOO, back to sacking a client, I personally think sacking a client is because there was not enough HONEST commmunication about the parameters of the job, what they get for their money, what you will do for their money etccc.
and as i just said i am guilty of this.
its FARRRR better to be brutal at the start then to suffer later, "unrealised expectations" is one of the main reasons for conflict and often both sides have them.
I had a phone call today ( a referal ) , a women starting a new business and wanted a website and the first Q was " how much", i started to ask her Q about the business and she just kept saying "how much" , in the end i just said " how much does a car cost, you can buy 1 for $100 or $50,000, until i know what car you want i can't tell you how much " ?
anyway i gave her some advice and maybe we will talk monday?
but the moral of the story ( finally... sorry ) is:
you set yourself up for your own failures, learn from them and STICK to those new lessons no matter what as they will continue to BITE you over and over again until you get the message.
on each occassion i have had to sack a client i honestly feel its because i didnt communicate my expectations OF THEM to them, so the reality is... its been my fault as i was the most experienced one in the process just like a person and a lawyer, a business and an accountant.
just my opinion!
tim
