ddesign - 3:39 am on Oct 23, 2004 (gmt 0)

Warning! It's "wordy", but I need your opinions, please!

A month ago I acquired a small handful of accounts from another local web service company who has decided to call it quits. I was thankful and flattered that the owner would trust, and think of me.

One of the new web site accounts would call for immediate attention because they were introducing a new store department. I contacted the new client right away. We met, I got started on the new item pages, and the client was very pleased with the design work and fast turnaround time.

The other design firm had given me a friendly warning that this particular client was 'different'. I could tell when we met right away that she was right. He has a bit of an odd sense of humor and way about him. That's all fine and good. I have no problem with that.

Anyway, the client has been keeping me busy the last few weeks with new logo mocks for his new store and store departments, new domain registration and new site design examples.

I think I have been more than fair with him. I have attended store events and shown a special interest. I was not asked to do so, so I chose not to charge for that time. -- As I mentioned I have shown a special interest and even have given him small discounts. This client has told me more than once that they really like my work and manner.

One of the issues that we would be taking care of AMIDST THE OTHER 50 THINGS WE WERE DOING (logo examples, redesign examples, domain registrations, domain forwarding, store events, etc... you know how it is), is creating a contest form for the web site, which he wanted for the form results to be organized into a database (PHP). I responded by saying I would need the exact contest rules and form fields in order to create the contest, form and database. He told me what it was about, but he is all over the place when we talk. I try to keep us straight and organized but he's all over so the subject got changed and he asked about the redesign and new logos for the store. I can tell when customers come in or another line is ringing because he trys to hurry the conversation, even though we still have many things to iron out and discuss.

I FEEL LIKE I'M ALWAYS WORKING AND DOING SOMETHING FOR HIM BUT NOTHING EVER GETS CHECKED OFF SO WE CAN MOVE ON because he's all over the place when we talk.

Understanding the urgency of the form, I called someone to help me out with the PHP/databasing part of it. He told me he would need to know the exact form fields. I told him I would confirm those things with the client and get back to him.

I have gone ahead with a project or task for other clients too many times, then got in trouble because the client wasn't sure or didn't mean for me to go ahead. Without a confirmation from the client I didn't feel I should have gone ahead with the form, even though I knew it needed to be done due to advertising, timeframe, etc. - In several emails and phone conversations I would remind him that I need the precise form fields and details. I never heard back from him about it.

There were a couple other issues that after one month of "communication", telephone calls, web site changes, meetings, and periodically hearing how much he likes working with me, when we spoke on the phone today and he found out I still had not posted the form, HE STARTED YELLING AT ME AND TOLD ME HOW DISAPPOINTED AND UNPROFESSIONAL I WAS! He calmed a bit and said that he didn't want it to go this way, but when I tried to explain that I did understand the urgency but was waiting for him to confirm the work order, he raised his voice slightly again and SARCASTICALLY insinuated what a no brainer it was to post the form: "Hm, NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, easy..."

But it isn't MY contest. Of course I know that a form will have a name and email field, but how could I have created the form how he needed it without getting him to FOCUS and tell me all of the details and fields that he needs?

One of the things he was so upset about was that he put a small ad out announcing the contest two weeks ago in one of our local papers. I told him when we spoke about the store contest two weeks ago that I need to know the details before I create the form. He "reminded me" that he paid for an ad that was USELESS SINCE I HADNT CREATED THE FORM.

Then he started 'yelling' at me because "IT SHOULD BE APPARENT TO ME THAT HE DOESN'T READ HIS EMAIL"! I guess I should have CALLED AND CALLED AND CALLED or STOPPED by the store EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGHOUT THE DAY until I got him to give me the form/contest details. Then he would have yelled at me for charging him in gas and time!

When we got off the phone today I immediately created the new form. Given the fact that I feel like I repeatedly attempted to iron out the details and confirm the work order, but never heard back from him, and the fact that he spent money to advertise it, AND NOW there will always be a terrible experience in our working relationship, I AM SO CONFUSED as to whether I charge him for the two hours it took to create the form and graphics for the page.

As I mentioned before I've given him many discounts which he doesn't seem to realize, even though I note all of them on the invoice.

Do I charge $70.00 for the web site additions, or give it to him for free because of the situation I tried to describe?

The beauty is he announced he pays on a Net 60, so I won't even see this money until the end of December!

What do you all think?