6 Warning Signs of a Problem Client
Have you ever had a project that turned out to cause way more stress that it was worth? Of course you have. We all have. Most of the time you’re left saying “Why didn’t I see this coming?”
Here are some early warning signs of a problem project and some tips for upgrading them from hopeless to profitable.
1. “I tried doing it myself, but…”
This is a sign of the frustrated artist. They fancy themselves creative, and have given it their best shot, but found that their skills fell short. Now they are turning to you, the consummate professional, to pick up the pieces.
Whether they are willing to tell you or not, this client has a vision in their head of what they want, and are unlikely to be satisfied with anything else. You may have trouble hiding your opinions on their bad ideas, and you probably won’t feel any pride in the finished product because you had no control.
The Solution: Some may avoid these clients all together, but there is a chance to really shine here. If you keep them happy they will gladly talk you up to everyone they know because you succeeded where they could not. If you choose to take on this project, get them to be completely explicit about what they want. Some clients in this situation are reluctant to tell you their ideas, so you may have to really coax it out of them. It is worth the effort though, because the alternative is a long process of trial and error until you stumble upon what they wanted all along.
2. There’s No Real Deadline
At first glance, a project with a loose deadline can seem great and stress-free. Be wary, though, because this is often a sign that the client lacks real commitment to the project and a client that won’t return your phone calls or reply to your emails is actually worse than one that is constantly breathing down your neck. In some cases, it can lead to the client giving up on the project all together (and possibly even stiffing you on the bill).
If the client is committed to the project but not worried about the deadline it’s OK though, right? Well, not necessarily. A loose deadline means they can change their mind freely without too much concern. This can lead to an end endless loop of revisions putting you way over budget and editing your work into oblivion.
The Solution: If the client isn’t committed to the project, then step lightly. In some cases it may be best to turn this job down. If they are committed, but the timeline is loose then make them set a specific deadline. Do it nicely, but be firm on it. It’s for their own good.
3. “Somebody Told Me I Should…”
Be wary of this phrase, as in “My friend told me I should have a designer do a branding package.” This may seem harmless, and often it is, but it can also be a sign that they don’t really know what they are asking you to do, and may not actually want it. This can lead to disinterest in the project on their behalf (see above about the client that won’t respond), or half-way through the branding process you may discover that they really just wanted you to choose a fancy font for their name. If they are using industry lingo, don’t presume they are using it correctly.
The Solution: The answer here is plenty of client education and probing questions. Lay out in detail exactly what you are going to be doing for them, the process you will take to do it, and what they need to do to make it happen. Then, get as much info out of them as possible about what they are looking for. If you can lead them successfully through the project, you can build a lifelong client who will give you plenty of creative freedom.
4. Multiple Points Of Contact
This problem is common with big corporate clients and government contracts. There are many stakeholders in the project and they all have direct access to give you feedback. Often the multiple stakeholders will not talk to each other, leaving you in the middle of a political minefield and getting conflicting information. They may have a big budget for your project, but they will use it up by ongoing revisions and going back on previous decisions.
The Solution: Make them appoint a gatekeeper who will be the only one allowed to contact you. This can be hard to ask for, but it is worth it. Be confident and direct and couch the request in a tone of experience. With a little luck, a well placed “In my experience with this kind of project, the best approach is…” will do the trick. Let them argue about revisions before they contact you.
5. “Trust Me, This Is Going To Be Huge!”
This can often be a sign that the client hasn’t realistically looked at the obstacles in their way. Clients with this mentality often budget with money they don’t have, relying on future revenue to pay your bill. This can lead to you not getting paid, or in some cases, them blaming you if the project fails. This client is likely to ask for discounts up front, dangling a carrot of big budgets down the road in front of you.
The Solution: This type of client can be convincing and may exaggerate their previous successes to get you on their side. Don’t be sucked in. Be firm with your budget and your billing schedule, and make sure you get a solid deposit from them. The good news is that these clients are often willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, giving you plenty of work.
6. Repeated Meeting Cancellations
This is sign that the project is low on their priority list, and that they possibly aren’t completely committed to it. You can expect that this will be a recurring theme in your relationship with them and that the project may drag on because of it. In some cases you may get the same treatment when it is time for them to pay.
The Solution: Be timely when delivering your work and follow up promptly if they don’t respond. It’s better to let the project age on their desk than yours. Because the project is low priority for them, you need to keep them on track and hold them accountable for their end of the deal. A well-tracked timeline can do wonders here.
Conclusion
We’re always going to have the occasional problem project. The important thing is not to let them get you down. Remember why you’re freelancing in the first place and chalk them up as experience. When a project goes awry, make note of what happened and how you could have handled it better, or avoided the problem all together. Keep a careful eye out for the red flag warnings and things will go much smoother.
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Great article.
Stu.
Right on the money there. I have almost all of those clients and have dropped them instantly. Some I have taken on and managed to convert, others made life hell. But in most cases I drop them.
Spot on! Good aid memoir, would love to print it and have it by my desk
It was funny reading this because I’ve been in all these situations before. The time and my mistakes taught me to avoid such happenings tough.
I have my list, which I’ve kept as a reminder over the years, I couldn’t publish here though because it’s full of expletives.
This was a timely read- I’m on client side and engaged a new digital design agency for very exciting high profile but small piece of work to totally push brand fir an innovation festival. Not only did they not do what they said they would, ie missed a promised delivery date, we had to chase up to find out where it was (no expectation management) . A new promise was made for next day. Next day came and went. At 6:15, I phoned- embarassment and reassurances and blame and excuses all round – once again expectations were NOT managed. New Promise was made for 1 pm the today. It didnt arrive until 14:41. It was only a quote for about $30 000 worth of work. NOT difficult stuff! The quote contained an accounting error- it didnt add up to their numbers! Was overstated by $3000.
Would you trust you work to an agency who behaves in this manner?
I have two more for your list: the client who contacts you when the deadline is today; and, the client who used to be a freelancer and now cannot be pleased by anything made by somebody else.
There are clients, though, whom I just love working with – when will you write a post about them?
I’ve gotten #5 before…”I just need someone to get me going for cheap, then I’ll have tons of work for you!”
I can def attest to #1
I don’t think #1 is a problem–I find that most clients that took a first stab at it are more appreciative and receptive to my services. And as for deadlines, I always set one even if the client doesn’t want it to keep things on track.
Nice article!
Good article! It´s incredible how similar people acts in such different parts of the word. Very funny LexiRodrigo: “the client who contacts you when the deadline is today!!!” jajaaa
I have had client number 1 about a million times now. Honestly, I actually enjoy him (yeah, for me it’s always a him). Just a couple of things I do-
1. I make it clear that it’s a partnership. I’m here to turn his thoughts into something that others can benefit from. He then knows that I understand he is an integral part and doesn’t think I don’t respect his vision/ ideas.
2. I go in prepared to do 3 drafts of everything. That way, I’m not frustrated when he asks for them.
3. I use his language. When he communicates with me, if he uses fancy words and run on sentences, I know he’s that guy and I mimic his style but use the fancy words correctly and punctuate appropriately. If he uses simple words and short sentences, that’s what I do.
With this client, your real job is to be him/ her, only better.
I turned down a client’s project because I had a bad feeling. The client sent me material and they showed no organized thoughts. He wanted something quickly (while I was recovering from surgery), yet he dragged on the project. So I emailed the person who referred him to me and found out he had struggled with that client as did a developer.
It’s just not worth it.
“somebody told me I should” almost always leads to trouble. I get this one frequently. Then I have to very nicely explain why a flash built shopping cart is not a good solution for their business. Meeting cancellations have been rare for me but I did have a client that was always late and even forgot to show up once.
This article is so true. Dealing with #1 right now.
Great article Mark!
What do most of you do when the client moves the deadline further and further out? How do you wrangle them back in and make them stick to a timeline? I don’t know how to do this yet…
How about the client that just fired someone else? Guess what’s going to happen to you?
Good stuff on this post. You nailed down some great problem clients. Its always interesting to see how we all deal with the same issues.
When I have a client that doesn’t have a strict deadline I go ahead and set some for both of us anyways. It helps time creep like you mentioned, and it also helps me get more involved to making sure the project gets done.
And design by committee – whew! I try and find the one person whom I can talk with that will deal with the rest of the committee, that way everyone knows all the information that comes to me should be through this one channel, and visa-versa.
Great list, Mark. The old rule of 80/20 also breaks down for clients, to wit: twenty percent of your clients will give you 80 percent of your problems. It can be hard to “fire” a client, especially in this economy, but it’s important to remember that firing a client who wastes your time frees you up to find better prospects.
What a great overview for someone just getting started (me). And I especially enjoy the comments posted on these blogs. I hope to add some insight too, as it is sparked in future.
Thanks all,
Chris
Great read Mark!
I’d had this to the list:
1. Clients that are friends/past employers
I worked for a startup company for a period of 6 months, branding them from the ground up. Then after I left and went freelance, my old boss would occasionally send some work my way. Well first off, he wanted the same rate he paid me before, not my freelance rate. Then he calls and wants me to drop everything and do his project real quick so I do. Then he pays his bill two and a half weeks late. I sent him a incoice stating it was 2 weeks late and he sent me a nasty email saying “I’ve payed you thousands of dollars to do a lot of work, you need to learn how to handle clients, I’ve given you a lot of work and your sending me a late payment reminder”. Needless to say I no longer do any work for him. It is just a tricky situation working for friends/past employers.
Is it bad that I have heard all of these at one point in time or another?
Very insightful as we all have to deal with those kind of clients. For this though, I will always remember Paul Rand and his approach (so “in your face” that I can’t even apply it) http://www.paul-rand.com/video_stevejobs_interview.shtml (Steve Jobs speaking about his experience with “the master”).
The way I’ve been personally able to overcome most of the issues listed above is by having a “production protocol” so people not ready to commit naturally walk away and a “qualification questionnaire” which is a pre-assignment brief. You can see an example on my blog: http://getapowerplay-for-hire.blogspot.com/ So far asking them to answer those simple question again get rid of most of the undesirable clients and allows me to hit the mark much more easily.
Cheers!
Excellent tips.
An insightful article. I have had a few of the mentioned types of clients, and have had to work through the frustrations in my own way. You figure it out as you go, but this is a great resource to help you tackle different situations, and manage clients in a professional manner. Thanks for sharing. Vicky
Now if only I could travel to the past and warn myself before it was too late….
Great article and I agree with your views.
Great post! I agree with Chase– no friends– and I’d definitely add family members. I’ve worked with past colleagues before with little problem because they trust that I know what I’m doing– friends and family don’t always trust you or will put more trust in what a friend told them they should do (like the #3 problem client).
I don’t know if anyone else has had this type of client, but I’ve worked with clients who require a lot of hand-holding. I once had a client who, if I didn’t answer an e-mail same-day, would send several more asking if I had received the first one and questioning if I was doing my job. It can be extremely frustrating, but it’s certainly an exercise in customer service.
I come across these guys all the time. The unfortunate truth is that right now my clients are too few and too far between for me to say no. You just kind of roll your eyes and deal with it the best you can and be real grateful for the good clients you have/get.
i absolutely agree, especially with nr.1 .. i have had few clients who wants “cool style logo in blue color with picture of a house .. in a circle .. now i think its not possible work for these clients..
Mark: Love the list. Look forward to more. You know I’ve been years in this biz…have seen em all! There is also the flip side to the guy who ‘really just wanted you to choose a fancy font for their name’ after all. Beware the one who ‘just needs a simple business card…easy, cheap, right?’ and then tries to suck you in, little by bitty job, into what should have been a much more comprehensive branding exercise from the start.
Cliche I know, sometimes we learn the most from mistakes.
i will add to those to my list, Thanks for this great article.
Ah, great article….
Learned many of these the hard way
Good article. I always meet #2, there’s no deadline and there’s no separation from production and maintenance. Mark, you should add one point about how to maintain the client who don’t know how to determine the production time and the maintenance time.
Cheers,
Zayn
Very funny stuff! Or at least it would be funny if it wasn’t so true.
Let me add one to the list: “You’ve made your living at this for over six years. I read a 400-word article about it yesterday. Now let’s sit down and combine our collective knowledge and jointly come up with a strategy for this.”
Translation: “I plan to micromanage every detail of something I know nothing about and then put the blame on you when the way I demanded you do it doesn’t work.”
No thanks! LOL
great tips!
Awesome article. I have a few of my own to add of course:
I sent a proposal to this client and this was his response:
“To approve your work, could you put one of your websites on (URL to their hosting provider). They have free account. If you can do that, the project is almost yours.”
Avoid… Any client that wants you to test their hosting provider’s server using your previous clients’ websites to test is INSANE. LOL!
And this one (a project listed on a freelancer website):
“Website design experience required. I am currently creating my own website using Dreamweaver. Once complete, I would like a true “Pro” to clean it up. Probably about 8 hours worth of work.”
Avoid clients that design their own websites, then designate an estimated amount of work for you.
Really funny, now please do guide us how to get rid of them
LOL! That was a tough one! I just sent him a response (after several revisions because I was in shock when I wrote it) and decided to gently push him away by telling him it was not possible to install another client’s site somewhere else, that the shopping cart license only works on the URL it is purchased for, and that it would be a waste of my time! I then told him I’d be glad to point him to a suitable and reliable host, if his provider didn’t work out. I’m hoping he doesn’t contact me again!
The other blooper projects I just completely avoid, sometimes I just tell them I’m overbooked and don’t have the time to take on another project for a few months…
I’m learning (the hard way) to avoid people who can’t communicate in a timely and professional fashion. Typos, grammatical errors, ALL CAPS, incomprehensible voice mails, and unintelligible emails are all signs of dysfunction which should be avoided no matter what.
Some other rapidly emerging rules:
1) Don’t work with or for friends, friends of friends, family or friends of family (mentioned above but worth repeating)
2) Get it in writing no matter what. Make it as specific and clear as possible
3) If (as mentioned above) they’re complaining about the previous freelancer expect some issues
4) Repeated missed deadlines (sorta the same as repeated meeting cancellations) on their part are a bad sign
5) “Just one more thing” syndrome points to an unhappy ending
A great list bringing back a few painful memories!
On point #4, I would add that even when you get a single point of contact it’s worth understanding their relationship to the larger organisation they represent. I’ve had the following nightmare variations when I thought I had a single, stable channel:
1. A person who, while seemingly in charge of the client side of the project, had little control and was actually at the whim of a committee who couldn’t agree and flip-flopped all over the place.
2. A person who, although competent, efficient and a pleasure to work with, reported to a manager who was always “too busy” to participate in the early stages of the process but made a point of swooping in dramatically at the last minute to propose wholesale changes.
Sometimes these situations are impossible to anticipate, especially if working remotely. If possible, I would definitely try to make a trip to a client’s workplace to observe these relationships in action. It can be very helpful in working out who will really be calling the shots on a project.
hey thanks. I think we have all been in that situation at one time or another. It’s when you get really good at selling when you can tell a problem right off the bat, but it’s always a hard thing. People are hard to predict sometimes.
Thanks for this informative post. I can definitely relate to a couple of them.
I have a bogging question about clients. But I’m not sure if it is just me or most freelancers have also experienced the same rut.
How do you deal with a non-paying client? I have one client that paid me half in advance, only not to hear from them again when I turned in the work.
How do you deal with these deadbeats?
Number 2 is a nightmare- one client just wanted a website done “whenever” as most of their promotional work was done face to face. I even set a month for the deadline, stating that as a rough estimate so that I could get it completed but also time for them to ask for changes and additions they may wish to make. 2 weeks later they were screaming down the phone asking where it was and why it wasn’t finished. Just glad I took a deposit, heh.
ouuuuh yes.. I know them all
especially the last one.. it was the one “it will be very very very hugh”
after his 12′000$ project, he only could pay 50% of it and is now paying month per month another 1000$.
well.. don’t understand me wrong.. it’s a good client, he brings a lot of work.. but sometimes it will need, you have to wait a bit longer for the money.. but hey, money is money or not?
better to have one like this, as one which won’t pay a simple 400$ bill..
Wow, thank you, It is very helpful. And good to know I am not only PM who have crazy clients :]
I usually get those: “I tried doing it myself, but…”. And sometimes they want to sit with you while you work on their projects!
Good points.
Thorough list. I’ve met every one of these people.
ahh Great tips i agree with your views!
This article is spot on! It really is up to the freelancer to set expectations with the client from the get go. Every point you listed is crucial. Oftentimes, clients just need to be educated about processes and boundaries. Thanks!
Good lord I wish I had read this article earlier in my career! Good looking out!
I would add one more red flag – a client who name drops. Living in Southern California, we often get calls from hollywood producers who drop names in order to get cheap or free artwork. I never fall for it – I let them know that they can get discounts AFTER we’ve done a few projects together.
I cringe when people start bragging about all the famous people that will be involved. I could care less who the work is for…We never get any value out of it anyway. Usually the exposure to famous people results in them looking for a deal because of who they are….
i i’ve working with client like #2,
and it’s almost traumatize me working as a freelancer with
their endless-loop-of-revision hell.
A very simple, effective way to avoid the “endless loop of revisions”: Our price quote includes up to 3 sketches. Additional changes incur a fee of $95.00 per sketch. This is an extremely effective way to get your client to make up their minds – when it’s money out of their pocket, they will make less changes. It’s rare that we ever have to make a 3rd set of changes with our clients.
Another warning sign: Client spends the entire first meeting going over their professional history, companies started (usually not still in existence), and personal interests.