#problematic clients

[asknlarchivist]

Um...

So my client didn’t want to pay me for the work I already did. And after she already told me she had enough pages for this book, she turns around and tells me to do some bit of text for the final page. She has an outstanding balance of over almost $500 she didn’t pay me for the work I already did, and when I asked her to please send me that first so it would be safe for me to do the finishing touches, she pitches a fit and tells me to hurry up and quit delaying, be proactive, yada yada etc.

By now I’ve had quite enough of her being rude and condescending to me and acting towards me as if I were some child who didn’t know how to do my own damn job, even though what trip-ups I had lately were a result of her lack of communication with me. Seriously, I kept asking her questions for what exactly she wanted over and over and either she didn’t answer, or she answered in a very repetitive or roundabout way. For a writer, she’s not very good with words it seems...

I finally had enough and resorted to strong-arm tactics to get her to cooperate. Either she gives me my paycheck and I have it in my mailbox by next week, or the book gets left undone. Which I really don’t want happening because this book is for kids stuck in the hospital. It’s a really special novel for them and I really want it to be completed, have a copy for myself and for many members of my family. They’re all really looking forward to it.

For some reason, I guess to meet her crazy deadline of before Christmas, she’s coming over tomorrow to give me my paycheck. With her husband. In person. At my house.

... My dad is worried. I’m worried. God knows what’ll happen at this little meeting. I really hope it goes quickly, if not smoothly. After all the fighting and foul tempers on both sides that happened just these last few days.

I’m making this post so that if anything goes wrong and I outrageously end up dead, for all my friends to note the time and date of my demise - roughly 3:30P.M. December 23rd, 2015. 

Thank you and goodnight. I apologize in advance to those of you who’ve requested commissions from me today. And tons of gratitude to you guys who are helping me out by reblogging my commissions notice and helping me advertise, you lovely peeps know who you are!

[asknlarchivist]

Tfw client tries to use bully tactics to get what they want, then puts up a stink when I send them the invoice for the job done so far...

For my psychological safety and the avoidance of further possible exploitation, I finally terminated the contract. I don’t even care about the royalties anymore, which they weren’t really willing to give me anyway. They also tell me they have enough pages for their book. Tch, yeah right, pages you claimed you didn’t even like. Good luck with that. I hope you wake up to a truckload of coal burying your house. Merry Christmas, bitch.

So long as I see my final paycheck in my mailbox by next week I won’t be seeing you in petty court. Or on your doorstep since I actually know where you live, and it’s right in my area...

[asknlarchivist]

So...

Client I’m helping to illustrate a children’s book for has up and decided to not only have me do something that will totally ruin said book (omg those poor children), but she also gave me a surprise deadline for the last said godawful page to be done.

... Whiiiich is a violation of our contract.

... She also totally ignored the fact that my brother is coming home from overseas tomorrow. “No, get it done this way like I asked, by the way you have until Christmas to get it to me.” ... ... I think I’m going to look for a new client after this. Or better yet, go into self-publishing. Less than a week’s deadline, given without prior notice, during the holidays. Yeah, that’s not going to fly.

[kingrauni-blog]

Week 3 - ‘I am HERE’: Standing out from the crowd - The problem with clients.

When it comes to dealing with clients you have to make surethat you have good communication between the both of you so that everything is understood. At times the client may be unclear of what he or she wants so constant communication is key to making sure that the client gets that they want.

One of the most basic things you should do as a consultant is keep a record of all conversations. After every meeting or phone call, follow up with an email to the client and summarise the main points of the meeting. (C. Bradford, 2013)

The brief given was of a one-page sketch, which contained very little information about what it was that the client wanted. After having a verbal conversation and having a more or less clear idea of what the wireframe should look like, a draft of the website began to be created.

Brief given by Sally Riley:

After having completed the wireframe and shown to the client, it is safe to say that the customer liked the way in which the website was going and commented that the layout and navigation of the website were good. She did however end up almost changing her mind about what she wanted her website to look like and mentioned things which she wanted changed and things which she wanted added on.  For example she wanted the font to be more “girly” and the theme of the website to be pink and purple. These are just some of the things, which originally were not in the brief.

She also wanted things added on, for example the initials S.R. (which was a creative idea of the hired personnel) she felt that the S should be bigger than the R and also that there should be graphics embedded onto the end of the Y in Riley as in more of a “girly flick”. Sally also mentioned that she wanted and extra page where people advertise themselves and put up voice notes.

Dealing with clients such as Sally can mean that you have to constantly be in communication and give updates so that the customers is always happy with your work.  There is always a chance that the client may see your work and change their mind completely about what it is that they want. This of course can be very stressful however if the pay is good enough then the hired personnel should attempt to complete their work to the best of their ability but always bearing in mind that without constant communication it is likely that the client will not be happy with the finished product.

Reference:

C. Bradford, 2013. ‘How to deal with challenging clients’, The Moz Blog -  http://moz.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-challenging-clients