I need a website, but I don't want to be the Client From Hell
December 25, 2010 1:25 PM Subscribe
Paid for web design services for a very small business webpage on the 3rd of December. It's not done yet...
The page is only supposed to have a couple of functions: blog, calendar, maybe a photo gallery. The designers (who were cheap on Etsy) have been responding to my emails with personal excuses such as "had to drive so-and-so to the hospital" and similar reasons. What is the protocol/proper etiquette for lighting a fire under these folks without seeming heartless? At what point should I try to get my money back and find another designer? I've had offers to barter services with a quote of a couple of days for a site like the one I suggest. Help! (asking for a friend)
The page is only supposed to have a couple of functions: blog, calendar, maybe a photo gallery. The designers (who were cheap on Etsy) have been responding to my emails with personal excuses such as "had to drive so-and-so to the hospital" and similar reasons. What is the protocol/proper etiquette for lighting a fire under these folks without seeming heartless? At what point should I try to get my money back and find another designer? I've had offers to barter services with a quote of a couple of days for a site like the one I suggest. Help! (asking for a friend)
And add 'I don't want to leave you bad feedback but...' as well as 'If this isn't a good time for you to do this job, and can't get it done by January 2, lets part ways now.'
posted by k8t at 1:39 PM on December 25, 2010
posted by k8t at 1:39 PM on December 25, 2010
is only supposed to have a couple of functions: blog, calendar, maybe a photo gallery
This "maybe a photo gallery" thing makes my alarms go off. I do freelance web design for a living, and a "maybe" usually indicates a communication problem.
Is there another "maybe" involved in the due date for this project? You paid on the 3rd; what was the due date?
posted by circular at 2:08 PM on December 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
This "maybe a photo gallery" thing makes my alarms go off. I do freelance web design for a living, and a "maybe" usually indicates a communication problem.
Is there another "maybe" involved in the due date for this project? You paid on the 3rd; what was the due date?
posted by circular at 2:08 PM on December 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
The page is only supposed to have a couple of functions: blog, calendar, maybe a photo gallery.
I'm a bit confused by this. "Maybe" a photo gallery? How does that work?
Between that and the lack of stated deadline, it sounds to me like you have some very lax agreements and they're being taken advantage of.
There shouldn't be a "maybe" in your statement of work / contract.
There should be deadlines in your contract, though.
Frankly, I'd say the current state of affairs is just as much your fault as theirs. The designers are being flaky, sure, but when your deadline is "whenever" it's easy for a freelancer to prioritize things with real deadlines ahead of your contract which, from their perspective, doesn't even appear to be all that important to you. If it's not urgent to you, why should it be for them?
The easiest thing for you to do, at this point, would be try to negotiate a deadline, I'd probably offer a small incentive (10% of the contract amount, for instance) for them to agree to the new deadline. Failing that, a refund (although, putting myself in the freelancer's shoes, I'd resist that pretty strongly if there was no stated deadline), take what you can get, and use this as a learning experience that, when dealing with freelancers, your agreements need to be explicit about all major details including price, deadline, work standards, features, and anything else that you think is part of the job.
posted by toomuchpete at 2:23 PM on December 25, 2010
I'm a bit confused by this. "Maybe" a photo gallery? How does that work?
Between that and the lack of stated deadline, it sounds to me like you have some very lax agreements and they're being taken advantage of.
There shouldn't be a "maybe" in your statement of work / contract.
There should be deadlines in your contract, though.
Frankly, I'd say the current state of affairs is just as much your fault as theirs. The designers are being flaky, sure, but when your deadline is "whenever" it's easy for a freelancer to prioritize things with real deadlines ahead of your contract which, from their perspective, doesn't even appear to be all that important to you. If it's not urgent to you, why should it be for them?
The easiest thing for you to do, at this point, would be try to negotiate a deadline, I'd probably offer a small incentive (10% of the contract amount, for instance) for them to agree to the new deadline. Failing that, a refund (although, putting myself in the freelancer's shoes, I'd resist that pretty strongly if there was no stated deadline), take what you can get, and use this as a learning experience that, when dealing with freelancers, your agreements need to be explicit about all major details including price, deadline, work standards, features, and anything else that you think is part of the job.
posted by toomuchpete at 2:23 PM on December 25, 2010
Yeah the maybe sets off mine too - do you not sign off on a project specification with a schedule?
Your couple of functions are also often pretty labor intensive ones so that should have been taken into account.
Also it is possible that there has been an emergency and for freelancers this can be a big issue to deal with and you will need to rely on the client to be understanding.
I would check on the scheduling and spec issue first, and also that all the requirements such as content and sign off have been done on the part of the client too.
posted by gomichild at 2:38 PM on December 25, 2010
Your couple of functions are also often pretty labor intensive ones so that should have been taken into account.
Also it is possible that there has been an emergency and for freelancers this can be a big issue to deal with and you will need to rely on the client to be understanding.
I would check on the scheduling and spec issue first, and also that all the requirements such as content and sign off have been done on the part of the client too.
posted by gomichild at 2:38 PM on December 25, 2010
Nthing what everyone else has said. You don't appear to have any kind of clear contract, or clear specifications for the work being done.
There's obviously fault on both sides, so to speak: your developers didn't ask for clarity, but you weren't clear what you wanted.
Also ... you paid up front, in full? If you did that, and you didn't have a clear deadline, then you've really got no right to get your money back -- unless they say outright that they're not going to do the job.
Ask them politely to give you a firm commitment on a deadline. That's all you can do.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:42 PM on December 25, 2010
There's obviously fault on both sides, so to speak: your developers didn't ask for clarity, but you weren't clear what you wanted.
Also ... you paid up front, in full? If you did that, and you didn't have a clear deadline, then you've really got no right to get your money back -- unless they say outright that they're not going to do the job.
Ask them politely to give you a firm commitment on a deadline. That's all you can do.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 5:42 PM on December 25, 2010
I'm married to a web designer and I double as his admin. He is late with things, but this is often not his fault. Client A wants something RIGHT NOW and then provides no information. Now he is working on a project for Client B, and Client A gives him the information but Client A is now in line behind Client B because Client A is a total flake. Then he gets to Client A's stuff and Client A takes forever and a day to give any of the feedback required to proceed.
Of course sometimes my husband is busy here at metafilter and it his fault that something is late. ;)
I recommend that you call and ask these questions:
-Do you have all the information and content you need to make my web site?
-How much of my site is complete?
-When will it be done? I need it by X. If that is not possible, I will need a refund.
posted by AllieTessKipp at 12:18 PM on December 26, 2010
Of course sometimes my husband is busy here at metafilter and it his fault that something is late. ;)
I recommend that you call and ask these questions:
-Do you have all the information and content you need to make my web site?
-How much of my site is complete?
-When will it be done? I need it by X. If that is not possible, I will need a refund.
posted by AllieTessKipp at 12:18 PM on December 26, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by k8t at 1:37 PM on December 25, 2010