Comments on: Client Speak http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/ thoughts on | comments about | examples of } web design trends. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:57:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Andrew Faulkner http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4965 Andrew Faulkner Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:36:54 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4965 I think that the main issue here is that designers love the digital world. Most clients I've had in the past aren't web savvy so don't like (or can't manage) using email and other web technologies. Accessibility is an issue for our websites - why not make it an issue for yourself towards your clients. Let them interact with you how they want to. Many designers fail to understand that clients may not grasp the web and its technologuies. A good designer will liaise with clients in the real world regularly and not rely solely on email communication. I think that the main issue here is that designers love the digital world. Most clients I’ve had in the past aren’t web savvy so don’t like (or can’t manage) using email and other web technologies.

Accessibility is an issue for our websites - why not make it an issue for yourself towards your clients. Let them interact with you how they want to. Many designers fail to understand that clients may not grasp the web and its technologuies.

A good designer will liaise with clients in the real world regularly and not rely solely on email communication.

]]> By: Victoria Pavlova http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4968 Victoria Pavlova Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:36:13 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4968 Well, waiting for response is really irritating. But non-working pages in portfolio... Well, if the designer is not a developer who coded the site and [s]he is not hosting the site then it might happen that the link does not work. I as a designer had few occasions when the client changed the site without my or developer's help - added new advertisments to some place where they shoudn't be making the site invalid. Should I remove link to that site from my portfolio? Well, waiting for response is really irritating. But non-working pages in portfolio… Well, if the designer is not a developer who coded the site and [s]he is not hosting the site then it might happen that the link does not work. I as a designer had few occasions when the client changed the site without my or developer’s help - added new advertisments to some place where they shoudn’t be making the site invalid. Should I remove link to that site from my portfolio?

]]> By: Johan http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4974 Johan Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:48:20 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4974 <a href="http://www.snook.ca/archives/writing/how_not_to_work/" rel="nofollow">Important read (when dealing with customers)</a> Important read (when dealing with customers)

]]> By: Andrew Faulkner http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4975 Andrew Faulkner Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:50:06 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4975 <blockquote>I as a designer had few occasions when the client changed the site</blockquote> This is really hard to manage. Keeping a regular check on clients' sites is difficult and time-consuming. I guess asking them to notify you of any changes would be useful. Some designers put local versions on their own site to combat this but I dislike doing this.

I as a designer had few occasions when the client changed the site

This is really hard to manage. Keeping a regular check on clients’ sites is difficult and time-consuming. I guess asking them to notify you of any changes would be useful. Some designers put local versions on their own site to combat this but I dislike doing this.

]]> By: Nate K http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4985 Nate K Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:17:48 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4985 I would agree with your points, but can also see the other side. - IF a client is too busy - would you rather them take on more work or be honest and decline your request? If it already took them that long to respond in the first place - then maybe it is BEST to look for another designer. Don't haggle with just one - shop around. - IF a client wants to put up a portfolio, then they need to MAKE SURE the sites are a live, working example of their work. If they dont want to continually check - don't put it on the portfolio page. I share the same frustration, and while I know it is work to check the destination links - if you don't want to put the time into it, don't post the links - it only makes you look bad. Just some thoughts... I would agree with your points, but can also see the other side.

- IF a client is too busy - would you rather them take on more work or be honest and decline your request? If it already took them that long to respond in the first place - then maybe it is BEST to look for another designer. Don’t haggle with just one - shop around.

- IF a client wants to put up a portfolio, then they need to MAKE SURE the sites are a live, working example of their work. If they dont want to continually check - don’t put it on the portfolio page. I share the same frustration, and while I know it is work to check the destination links - if you don’t want to put the time into it, don’t post the links - it only makes you look bad.

Just some thoughts…

]]> By: » Kundenbeziehungen — cne _LOG Archiv http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4988 » Kundenbeziehungen — cne _LOG Archiv Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:34:10 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-4988 [...] fadtastic “Client Speak” [...] […] fadtastic “Client Speak” […]

]]> By: Andrew Faulkner http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5001 Andrew Faulkner Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:43:03 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5001 I guess one suggestion would be to run a link checker on your site regularly. I guess one suggestion would be to run a link checker on your site regularly.

]]> By: J Phill http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5002 J Phill Wed, 04 Oct 2006 14:50:46 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5002 I would feel weird asking a client to notify me if they needed to make changes, just because it's their site after handoff, unless they are paying for maintenance. I would feel weird asking a client to notify me if they needed to make changes, just because it’s their site after handoff, unless they are paying for maintenance.

]]> By: Matt Davies http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5006 Matt Davies Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:23:47 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5006 The trouble is that because a designer is good at designing it doesn't mean he is good at running a business. I have found this time and time again in my career. Business skills are key you making money and that is why most successful design agencies are headed up by a business mind not a creative mind. The trouble is that because a designer is good at designing it doesn’t mean he is good at running a business. I have found this time and time again in my career. Business skills are key you making money and that is why most successful design agencies are headed up by a business mind not a creative mind.

]]> By: Marcello http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5007 Marcello Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:56:59 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5007 Unfortunately, it's in the nature of creative types to take on more work than we can handle. As a result, responding to email and updating our own websites get neglected (among other things that we deem "low priority"). Time management requires linear thinking, whereas design often requires non-linear thinking. (That's a sweeping generalization, I know, but I hope you get the point). So the qualities that make us good designers often make us lousy at time management. Unfortunately, it’s in the nature of creative types to take on more work than we can handle. As a result, responding to email and updating our own websites get neglected (among other things that we deem “low priority”). Time management requires linear thinking, whereas design often requires non-linear thinking. (That’s a sweeping generalization, I know, but I hope you get the point). So the qualities that make us good designers often make us lousy at time management.

]]> By: Ilina S. http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5033 Ilina S. Wed, 04 Oct 2006 23:56:15 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5033 I used to be a freelancer for quite some time and I never realized all the potentially annoying things I did with my clients. That's until I started hiring other freelancers & IT service providers. I agree with Matt Davies - the fact that you are an excellent designer is not enough to obtain and keep loyal clients. There are many talented designers out there. A good designer should also learn about customer service (and they didn't teach us that stuff in college). There are so many important things to someone hiring a designer besides quality design - like trust, reliability, good communication, "can do" attitude, and the general sense that the designer is trying to work with the client and help their business grow - not just make another portfolio-worthy website. As for broken links - it does look unprofessional! One idea is to provide for each project links both to the live site and to a few screenshots, and perhaps include a little "report broken link" button. Makes people see you try to efficiently stay on top of things. I personally never had to deal with that because in my portfolio I only keep "the latest and the greatest" of my work - so I know if those are up or not. I have found that many people who browse portfolios get overwhelmed by too many screenshots and links. I used to be a freelancer for quite some time and I never realized all the potentially annoying things I did with my clients. That’s until I started hiring other freelancers & IT service providers.

I agree with Matt Davies - the fact that you are an excellent designer is not enough to obtain and keep loyal clients. There are many talented designers out there. A good designer should also learn about customer service (and they didn’t teach us that stuff in college). There are so many important things to someone hiring a designer besides quality design - like trust, reliability, good communication, “can do” attitude, and the general sense that the designer is trying to work with the client and help their business grow - not just make another portfolio-worthy website.

As for broken links - it does look unprofessional! One idea is to provide for each project links both to the live site and to a few screenshots, and perhaps include a little “report broken link” button. Makes people see you try to efficiently stay on top of things. I personally never had to deal with that because in my portfolio I only keep “the latest and the greatest” of my work - so I know if those are up or not. I have found that many people who browse portfolios get overwhelmed by too many screenshots and links.

]]> By: Ilina S. http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5034 Ilina S. Wed, 04 Oct 2006 23:58:36 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5034 Ooops, I meant "get overwhelmed by too many portfolio pieces" in my last sentence. Ooops, I meant “get overwhelmed by too many portfolio pieces” in my last sentence.

]]> By: Phil Renaud http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5047 Phil Renaud Thu, 05 Oct 2006 04:35:41 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5047 Excellent first post! Welcome to fadtastic, Anshul! Excellent first post! Welcome to fadtastic, Anshul!

]]> By: Johan http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5064 Johan Thu, 05 Oct 2006 09:22:06 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5064 A portfolio should be nothing more than showcases with screenshots, plus an explanation about code, the project, etc. About dealing with clients, you cannot foresee that all things you need from the client come smoothly on time. You only have to see that you show your client that you work on the project, and gradually all things shape up and you get there. If a client has unreasonable requests, tell the client since you are the expert. But dont be a wisenose, it is a give and take situation but keep the role of you the expert and the client asking all sorts of stuff. A portfolio should be nothing more than showcases with screenshots, plus an explanation about code, the project, etc.

About dealing with clients, you cannot foresee that all things you need from the client come smoothly on time. You only have to see that you show your client that you work on the project, and gradually all things shape up and you get there. If a client has unreasonable requests, tell the client since you are the expert. But dont be a wisenose, it is a give and take situation but keep the role of you the expert and the client asking all sorts of stuff.

]]> By: Rob Jones http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5832 Rob Jones Wed, 18 Oct 2006 07:41:32 +0000 http://fadtastic.net/2006/10/04/client-speak/#comment-5832 Sounds like you've dealt with some pretty unprofessional designers. Waiting two weeks for an email response is totally unacceptable in my opinion and as for out of date portfolio pages, well once again as far as I'm concerned that is another bad sign. It's not that hard to keep a website up to date. <blockquote>most successful design agencies are headed up by a business mind not a creative mind.</blockquote> Great point Matt, sad but true. Sounds like you’ve dealt with some pretty unprofessional designers. Waiting two weeks for an email response is totally unacceptable in my opinion and as for out of date portfolio pages, well once again as far as I’m concerned that is another bad sign. It’s not that hard to keep a website up to date.

most successful design agencies are headed up by a business mind not a creative mind.

Great point Matt, sad but true.

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