Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
I was asked to come up with a site for someone. <URL snipped - let's keep it general ~ Marcia>
I am pretty pleased with the design so far (I know it looks appalling in Netscape...) but the client emailed me saying things like "can you make the pictures a lot bigger?" and "there is too much white background... can you make it blue instead?" and "the menu links aren't very prominent."
How in the past have you gone about politely telling someone that they don't really understand what they are talking about?
I like your design and see the point your making, it's a good design and your client thinks they know what is good for them. I would wait for some replies here and show your client what the webmasters here think of the design, he may be persuaded that way.
We always make our point, but the client has a right to have a bad site if he wishes, so..
If the difference is something quick and easy to change then, within reason, we change it and advise the client to ask a few colleagues, friends etc to view both and get an collective view. If they don't all agree with us, then maybe we are wrong!
If the changes are time consuming and messy, we advise them that we can change it, but if he later changes his mind there would be a cost to 'put it right' again.
Where the client requests that we do something that will affect his search engine ranking, we send him a polite letter advising that this will damage search engine performance and requesting that he put his request in writing, as our quality control system requires this.
That's one of the better measures of success - did the client get what they want and are they happy. If you can answer yes to both of those questions then you've done your job.
I know that's a little over simplified but it's certainly something to think about.
meeting customer expectations
Some of my customers have very low expectations and we often exceed them out of a sense of 'pride in our work', but when they insist on 'bad' we let them have their own way and take the money.
Oilman is right, just don't out it into your portfolio!
I like your design, think the whitespace important, etc. Nice job.
I have walked clients through the decision making process, a step at a time, and sometimes it works. They understand that each decision is related to other decisions, rather than "I like blue". In the end, some people appreciate Paul Klee paintings, others like sad eyed puppy dogs. Can't argue with what a person likes.
I try to make all the crucial stuff their suggestion...I give options but present them in such a way as they feel that all the important aspects of the design are their idea
it doesn't work 100%...but I don't often have too any problems
I just do promotion, no design. My clients are mostly Web or communication agencies.
Some recent prospect involved a residential promoter and 5 housing constructors with each a different product.
All those nice people around the same table. All specialists at buiding houses with no experience in marketing. On presentation, one liked blue the other green... ect.
The agency (my client) pulled the plug on them, and I am glad they did.
How in the past have you gone about politely telling someone that they don't really understand what they are talking about?
eg, "bigger pictures do stand out and look good on a high-res screen, but this size looks good for more users."
or, "blue works well in general, but in our case, the white causes these elements to stand out."
In the end, you want the customer to feel that their ideas are good, but that your decisions are based on sound reasoning, not just some whim.
an example...I want to do some hover text rollovers...the client wants the rollovers to be flashier...what I DON'T do is argue the point...I note it and attempt to bring up the subjects of loading speed or search engine ranking...at some point I can usually make the client suggest dropping the image rollovers...now it is their idea and something I MUST do
a few fixed points like that and you can pretty soon be in a position to explain why everything you want to do is essential in order to let the client have what they want
it's also a good idea to get it all written down after the basics have been sorted
nothing is idiot proof though
Bear in mind though, you are being paid to fulfill the clients brief, not beef up your own portfolio. If they want something REALLY tacky, and you can't dissuade them, then do it
Do try to point out any technical problems that may result. If there aren't any, find some really nasty sites using the same technique, and show them to the client. Bear in mind they may actually like it though...
Cost is ususally the key. Say "I can do that but it'll cost X". They either go for it, and you make bundles (which eases the pain), or they take the "cheap" route, and end up with a site that isn't ashamed to go out in public
A year or two ago, I ran across a satire site that was a promo for a fictitious web design company. It incorporated every element of cheesy, amateurish web design you can imagine - excessive and ugly animation, horrible fonts, hard-to-read colors, broken HTML tags that appeared as visible text. I know some individuals who would look at that site and not only fail to "get" the satire, but wouldn't think there was too much wrong with the design. Different brain wiring, I guess.
The trouble is, it isn't always what looks good that sells the most widgets. For example, 12pt courier typeface sells the best in direct mail, but looks ugly as sin on the page.
When clients used to try to redesign a well laid out site with silly animated graphics, colored backgrounds, midi music (God forbid), etc., I would gently remind them that they are paying me a premium as a graphic designer with a degree in design and years of experience in real world web design.
Of course, you will always have that stubborn client who knows his ideas are best and you just have to bow to them. After all, the customer is always right!
