Do The Thing With The Thing
A client is going over a design with me.
Client: “Oh it’s really really close, but there’s just one thing missing.”
Me: “Alright, tell me.”
Client: “Remember that one thing I said six months ago? Make it look like that.”
Me: “Do you remember?”
Client: “Actually, no, but make it look like that. You need to remember everything I’ve ever said, ever. Make it do that thing. Make it do that.”
Me: “About 80% of the time you change your mind and actually admit it and tell me so I don’t bill you. That’s why we have these meetings. You actually have said that before too.”
Client: “This one thing was an exception. Total exception. Super important.”
Me: “The thing you said six months ago?”
Client: “Yes.”
Me: “The thing that you yourself can’t remember.”
Client: “Yes. But I remember the long and short of what I said. Do it like that. Super super important.”
Me: “Sure, I’ll get right on that.”
Client: “You had better, I’m not paying unless that thing I said six months ago is done exactly how I said it.”
I carefully don’t bring this up for a few days and do nothing. They pay the invoice, and the project is complete.
Client: “Good, thanks, and it looks like you did that thing I said six months ago! Like I tell everyone here you are good overall, but sometimes we have to be firm with you and you’ll do what we ask. Thanks again.”
Yeah sure, you tell them that.
