Clients
Not posted in a while as I've been busy finishing client sites and "going-live". Most of 'em are reasonable guys and net savvy but just occasionally you get some irritating (and amusing) correspondence. This for example received today following go-live last night:
"I've typed implant dentist in and I don't seem to come up, is there any way this can be changed so I come up in the listing at the top" - any SEO guys in 
and this from a store owner who we did a budget job for cus he was "strapped for cash":
"setting up this site has been an intersting exercise - I now realise the major limitations of oscommerce, its complications and inability to meet my needs"
His budget was $800 but he now thinks that "he should have gone for a bespoke build". I politely advised (again) that bespoke coding is typically $70 per hour and 12 hours doesn't build a full ecomm solution. We also gave him access to an oscomm test store so he knew what to expect. I've also identified a bunch of contributions which will address most if not all of his "needs" but I think he expects them for free. Fortunately he's paid what is owed to date.
On a more positive note, Adsense and CD sales picked up again last month and brought in just under $700 - a good deal better than $450 in August and September. Text link ads is the next target.
Dave
Comment by Oli Allen — November 2, 2006 @ 10:20 am
"any SEO guys in"
So, did you sell him your Adwords campaign management skills?
Comment by Corby Simpson — November 2, 2006 @ 9:36 pm
I fail to understand how this can be irritating(and amusing)??? To me, this looks like a client who simply doesn't understand the dynamics of online marketing and how it works, but it's not irritating.
It's like going out to purchase a home sound system and having the sales guy comment that he thinks it's irritating the their customer doesn't understand the technical difference between Dolby Digital 5.1, 6.1, DTS, DTS ES and DTS EX…
Your client asked a reasonable question and one which is an invitiation to explain why and more importantly, provide them with a solution! Sometimes us web savvy developers think a bit too highly of ourselves I think…
Comment by burt — November 2, 2006 @ 11:31 pm
Any potential client who sends more than 3 emails, I do not sell to. These are people who generally will cause problems when they actually do become a client.
Any client who abuses my good nature, is told to find another mug to hassle.
I have no time for clients who cannot understand that time costs money.
And that is working smart. Working in this manner increased my bottom line exponentially.
Comment by Corby Simpson — November 3, 2006 @ 7:13 pm
Of couse, difficult clients are often much different than those who ask questions.
Of course, it depends on the value of the client and the specific work being provided. Most of my projects are easily $10k + so three emails and you're out is NOT a rule I'm willing to make. 3 emails for a project isn't a bad investment in my opinion.
Comment by Dave J — November 3, 2006 @ 7:29 pm
Corby,
It's kinda irritating when you already held client meetings, discussed SEO at length and then documented it just to be absolutely clear. Also when you asked the client for a functional spec. but he couldn't be bothered to produce one etc etc.
We try to cover as many bases as possible during the project scoping but maybe we need to review our approach. Or is it as Burt suggests that there are just a small percentage of customers who attempt to abuse your professionalism….
Dave
Comment by Corby Simpson — November 3, 2006 @ 9:06 pm
Hey Dave,
I can appreciate your point of view and completely agree that some clients are not worth it, but from what I read I saw a clear message in the first sentance which I could not qualify as a problem, but more an opportunity. But yeah, if you had meetings, discussions and everything for an $800 budget, I can appreciate where the annoyance is coming from…
Doing work for clients strapped for cash is often a problem from the get-go anyways! What type of dentist is strapped for cash anyways??? I guess an implant dentist?
Comment by Will — November 4, 2006 @ 6:25 am
When you are in a position to make that kind of choice, firing unprofitable or difficult clients is a valid approach!
When time is money, the most profitable clients are likely to be those that ask least questions. Of course, there are exceptions, but how do you hone in on them?
Comment by burt — November 4, 2006 @ 12:41 pm
Time is money. It depends upon how you value your time. If you don't value your time, you'll spend it on fruitless exercises. Look up Frank Bettger, and you'll learn a lot of good stuff about time management - much of which flys in the face of conventional thoughts about how customers should be treated.
I've fired customers who were paying me thousands of pounds per annum - without a second thought. Once they start to "over eat", then they must go…
I think that it takes a certain amount of belief within oneself to be able to say to a client "sorry, this is not working. Try XYZ company who might be able to help you in the way you require". And I think to get that belief takes some years of experiencing the highs and lows of working for oneself..