
Client "changes gears" at advice of "dishwasher"...
Question...... While I'm no stranger to Internet marketing and have built several successful businesses, I've encountered a situation today that I want your take on.
A segment of my business deals in "web development" and "local" marketing for small businesses - the kind of thing many in this forum do I recon. We are ramping up that department of the business this year because I see a need for it now, more than ever.
Here's what I want your take on:
We had a job for a local restaurant. Website, menus and some "coupon" flyers the owner wanted.
Website went off great. Owner loved it. Since he loved it, hired us for the other stuff. Today the menus and fliers got completed. Took "proof" to him and he liked the fliers - not so much the menus.
The menus were "tri-fold" and he wanted "one page". Whatever. That one was my fault. I never asked him about. I assumed "tri-fold" was Ok because we've done that for hundreds of others.
I explained this to my staff and told them to redo it. That will be on my dime. Lesson learned. Now the strange part.....
Owner loved the flier UNTIL his "dishwasher" came out, saw it and had another opinion. He told the owner "change this and that.... use these colors.... Etc."
From that point on, the owner was this mans "puppet" wanting all the changes the dishwasher wanted.
Apparently he holds that person in high esteem.
I told my web developer who was presenting the work to "do whatever they want" in the name of "customer service" and also in that name, I told the owner "sorry we didn't see your vision. We will get it right this time".
BUT..... should I have done that? We do what WORKS and NOT just what "looks how they want it to". We try to balance it.
I won't get into it here but we specifically designed his coupon flyer to get customers in the door and carry his brand. The product he and the "dishwasher" came up with? Not so much.
So the question is.... Has anyone ever had any clients "swayed" by an "outside influence" and change gears on you?"
I'll admit, because of my authority within the market I usually operate, I've been spoiled by clients paying me money to "do what I do" and there's not much other interaction.
Not the case here? What say you, fellow offliners?
PS - I'm not going to fire the client. This is our first rough patch after years of working together. He is (usually) a great client and great guy.
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