Problems with web design clients.. How to solve

My advice would be to drop those clients unless you're willing to be bullied by them.

Usually the lower the client pays, the more pain in the ass they will be.

Besure to protect yourself by putting in the terms ahead of time, how many revisions you're willing to do or charge them per change if it suits you.

I had the same problem with some of my clients.
What I did to get rid of this is to charge for revisions. I charge small amounts but it keeps freebie wanters away and makes me additional profits.
If you include free (+3 revisions) in your service, you'll be in much trouble with those clients.
You have to be very clear to them about the technical stuff since day one.
And make sure they understand that customization is a whole another business which will cost them lots of money.

I have offered similar services in the past and I have had the same problems. The clients just simply dont understand how much work goes into certain things. They assume the entire backend of their "simple" system just happens magically.

You just have to be honest with these clients and dont let them bully you. Lay it out for them, say that what they are asking for is not included in the price and that they will need to pay more if they want that functionality and if they arent willing just cut ties with them. It is in your best interests to only keep clients that work well with you as they will be the ones who will keep coming back and refer other people to you.

Hope this helps.

I am having problems probably

1. This is problem with this industry.
2. I have scaled this to certain level and this is sold by different sales people. However we have a 9 step formula to keep a check. So they dont just sell everything for $1000.
3. Few clients really DONT WANT to understand.

I love this business and just want to remove pain out of it.

Regards
AB

It's really as simple as executing a contract between yourself and the customer BEFORE beginning any work.

Since you quoted a range of prices, I assume that there has been some up-front negotiation, wherein you identified the customers needs and the two parties agreed on the solution(s) to be provided. Most likely, you also arrive at a fixed price for that solution.

In your contract, spell out the deliverables and any review/modification cycle that is agreed upon, and that is to be included for that fixed price.

Then...
add a clause to the contract, specifying that any modifications (beyond those that might be included in the fixed price contract) will be performed at an additional hourly rate, and that those modifications will not be accomplished until AFTER satisfaction of the original contract terms.

It's a proven model, that independent software developers have been using for decades.

Edit
Note that rather than "firing a customer", I'm suggesting that you require them to acknowledge up-front, that they will be billed separately for ANY work requested that is outside the scope of the original contract, and that they agree to that as a part of that original contract. If they don't agree to those terms, they never become a customer, and you are never faced with having to "fire" them.

I have had the same problems and had to start charging for extras and 2nd - 3rd revisions. I find it that the clients who have very little knowledge of web design or internet all together are the most demanding ones.

My funniest and may be most difficult customers are the ones who contacts me after a month to ask why their site is not on Google Page 1.... I will then try to tell them that they paid only for design but that will then confuse them way more. Still love what we do though - just wish I had a big team like you guys - I have to do all on my own

Hello friend I feel your pain. I go through the same thing. I came up with webdesign questionaire to make things a little easier but they still make more complicated then it seems. Another solution is have them fill out contract form whatever that not included in this contract they will pay extra after the job is done. You will face more problem with the brick and mortar businesses because these people have no clude of what they want. They don't even know their own services and you want you figure it our for them. My friend don't give up yet. Come up with better strategies and or try outsourcing services where the outsourcing company take care of the headache and your job is to just do the work, deliver and get paid. Many successes.

Every inexperienced client is problematic. These types of clients have no idea of our working process. My suggestion for you to drop these types of clients and don't give them much offer. Try to deal them technically. More you will respond them more they will create problem for you by making new demands.

First 12 years of my career was in servicing (web/print/audio/video), I grew to absolutely HATE it all. You turn into a b2b whore for pennies on the dollar on beautiful lucrative work. The faster you can fire all your clients and start your own brands the better off you'll be.

The best things I remember doing: Set your retainer higher than ever (I set mine to 10K, they still kept coming, 25K, still got a few and then finally stopped/started my own brands on clickbank and my life changed fast/my skillsets were realized for the value they are truly worth).

Oh and there's always the 'fuhQ-PayMe' approach for the time you still stay in servicing (in short, contract and lawyer up, stop idiotic compassion and overdelivering, become hard to reach vs the sub/bitch in the relationship) ::

This is a MUST WATCH for anyone in the creative servicing industry:

Been in similar situations before.

Take a day or two to craft a solid document detailing the scope of the service you offer and all extra charges and terms should the client require more hands-on work.

Also, learn how to fire bad customers. They're bad for you and your business.

making notes on all suggestions.

I am going to come at this from a different angle.

What is entrepreneurship? Identifying a problem and creating (selling) a solution. Right?

You have heard from several people in this thread who offered solid advice about how to do what you are currently doing, but a little better. You can choose to benefit from their experiences...

... or...

... you can look at this as an opportunity to look at the real problem you are having, and find an entrepreneurial solution to it.

In this case, if I were you, I would think about how you have a problem of "crappy" clients. People who want more work out of you for the original amount agreed upon.

Maybe you feel competitive pressures to bid low enough to get jobs, and now you are trapped by people who want more work from you than they are willing to pay you for.

So, how would I solve this problem?

Redefine the market and service.

Instead of selling a site with x number of revisions for $1000, maybe they (and you) would be happier with a $500 site, plus $80/month for unlimited revisions and concierge service.

See what I did there? You made 50% more money AND created a recurring revenue stream, and your clients got the level of service they really want. They may not understand this about themselves at the time of sale so you may have to explain to them all of the benefits, using real examples of others who thought they didn't need it but then really would have benefited from it.

I am not saying those are the right numbers, or that this is the exact blueprint. Maybe there is more you can bundle in or create options with (i.e. ongoing seo, hosting, etc)

People talk about setting the expectations of your clients lower so that they don't ask for too much. Maybe you should be setting them higher so that they can get the service they really want (and are going to be happy with), you are being paid appropriately for your efforts, and a dynamic is created that generates raving fans for you to exploit in your marketing efforts.

Wouldn't it be cool to reimagine your operation from one that knocks out $1k designs a couple of times per month to one that services 100 clients with minor tweaks @ $80/month each?

One last thought... that is my 30-second brain dump on this subject. Imagine what you could come up with after a 3-hour, caffeine-infused brainstorming session.

Think about it...

I really like Jacks Approach here. I think his thought process is something that everyone can learn from regardless of what niche you are working in. I think we all get trapped into conventional paradigms sometimes where we are trying to solve what seems like the immediate problem without realising that it is a huge opportunity staring us in the face that we can use to create a whole new model that keeps all of your competition on the back foot while offering the clients a better service.

Great post Jack, thank you!

I have 35 clients who pay me a recurring flat-rate maintenance fee every month. Some of them are angels and I never hear a peep. Others are non-stop forces of mayhem and destruction in my daily life. To me, they balance each other out. I am, however, at a point where I would be nervous to scale any higher...

1) Make sure when you initially give them a quote that includes the details about what they're getting.

For example when I give a web design quote I include in there that there is 1 revision and each additional revision is so and so. I also include another option if they want more then 1 design. This lets them know what they're getting before.

2) For programming if it's a feature that I've built previously then I can estimate a project rate . BUT if it's a new feature then I let them that what I'm providing is a ball park figure and it might change a bit. Although most of the time I am able to finish it within that price. Another thing to let them know is that if they decide to add features AFTER the project has started then this could affect price and project completion date.

3) For me it's more like the remaining 7-10%. They change their mind half way through project, or decide that you should design something for free and only then they'll pay. There's no way to avoid this. In such cases I try to work with them and let them know that programming and design is not a product, its a service.

If they want something design related for free then I let them know that I have to pay an artist so I can't do that. What I let them know is that past clients such as him/her have been really happy with our services/results and if they still don't like the design then I end up eating that design cost.

It's rare for something like infact in the last year I've only had 1 client who decided half way that he wanted a refund. I returned it to him within a week.

I think as long you let them know what they're getting then they'll be ok if they need more revisions / features.