This is a true account of what happens to professional designers who do not listen to their guts and heed the warning signs of a no-win situation.
Professionally, I have been in design for more than twenty years. In short, this means I know how to deal with all sorts of demands, personalities, egos–you name it, I’ve dealt with it. And, I think I am good at it. It is part of doing business. I am also good at spotting “red flags”– hidden messages or warning signs that a new client will admit to you in hidden, or not so hidden, conversation. They are usually so obvious, they are hard to miss. But, the economy is slow and sometimes you want to give the client the benefit of the doubt.
The Situation. Recently, I had a “friend” whose client found them on the internet — they loved their work, they called him in and they gave them a new project. When they met, my friend asked the new client how they got their name so that they could thank someone for the referral, if that was how they got it. They said, they just did a search on Google and found them. No referral. (That’s strange? No referral??.) The client proceeded to them that the person doing their graphic design suddenly stopped returning their calls. (Oh-oh, red flag.) Which is why they were looking for a new designer. Now, the client is legitimate with potential to become long-term if everything goes well. My friend wants to do their very best, especially since they called based solely on viewing their work. (It’s a compliment, right?) So, the client gives my friend this project and tells them of other potential projects coming down the pike–my friend is very excited. The client then asks for a flat rate for the project – fine. No problem. This is a service we should offer our clients. Especially, the good ones. Sometimes, the new ones.
The Warning Signs. Like most freelancers I know, my friend is a professional artist. If you are a pro, you know what you are doing and you have been doing it for a long time. You estimate your projects, in writing, with everything listed in order of the process, including the number of changes, PDFs, etc. (Take note: this is how we should all be doing it – as a business contract. Good clients will appreciate how organized you are and it tells both parties what to expect.) The client calls them back to say there are many things about the estimate that makes them uncomfortable–from signing it, to the limited number of changes, to the overall cost of the project. (Another red flag.) So, my friend lowers the total cost of the project, gives the client unlimited changes, removes all the language the client was uncomfortable with and asks the client to email them back the estimate with “an okay to begin” in an email form with no actual signature required. The client never sends back the email, but the project is underway and my friend needs the money. And remember, there are more projects to follow.
My friend completes the design options, sends them to the client and the client loves them! Great news. With a few, very minor edits, the project was approved for color output and ready to mount on boards. My friend hand-delivered the project to the client, on time, and early on that day. That was a Friday. On Saturday, the client emails my friend and specifically asks for a large number of copies of each design–cover and spreads–professionally output on glossy stock. (Third red flag. Who is going to pay for the color copies? The budget has already been lowered, the parameters of the project are raised and now there are out-of-pocket expenses.)
The Final Straw. Usually, when a client makes a request like that, they have to pay for the out-of-pocket expense, unless it was specified in the budget or agreed upon before the budget was finalized. My friend got three estimates from FedEx/Kinko’s, based on different sizes of paper from 8.5″ x 11″ to 12″ x 18″, to print this project and sent it off to the client. In this particular case, the client did not feel like they should have to pay for, what they termed as, “samples” of the design. The out-of-pocket expenses ranged from just under one-hundred dollars to more than two-hundred dollars — the client did not pay for the copies and my friend lost the job.
The Moral of the Story. When you meet a client who expects the ridiculous from you, heed the warning signs and politely and professionally walk away. It will save you time, money and aggravation in the long run. And, it will keep your good reputation in tact. Make sure you outline your projects in writing, one way or another, before you start any job. If the client gives you trouble for doing your job in a professional manner and they make up an excuse for receiving something in writing–run. It’s a sign that they do not know what they want and they will not want to pay for it.
