I know we have all had our fair share of clients who are just complete idiots when it comes to design, technology, or both. Some people just don’t understand good design or development, but other are just dumb. Regardless of how dumb they are, we shouldn’t treat them as such.
This is especially true when talking to new clients.
Treating your client as an equal is going to get you a lot further than treating them like you are the almighty design god. I can’t begin to describe how much of a difference being personal and straight with your client makes. But, I’m sure you have had an experience in the past where you worked with a service provider, maybe a CPA or banker, who just made you feel really good about working with them.
Thats what I’m talking about.
Treat all your clients, new or old, with that respect. If you don’t, you can kiss your clients goodbye. They will remember that attitude, and probably tell others about it. Take this post as a prime example. It was sparked by a call I made to a potential CPA I wanted to work with. From the minute he picked up the phone he seemed annoyed that an idiot such as myself would even bother to call him. I was so annoyed with the way he was treating me that i almost hung up on him in mid sentence.
Later that week I talked to a nice young lady who was nothing but nice and helpful from the moment I started talking to her.
Guess which one got my business?
13 Comments
“Treating your client as an equal is going to get you a lot further than treating them like you are the almighty design god.”
- I absolutely agree with you on this. This rule actually applies to all professionals out there. If you treat them with respect, they’ll eventually show you the respect that you deserve.
Very well-written article. Nice job!
Awesome post, really enjoyed reading that!
I think one overlooked skill that freelancers should take into account is customer satisfaction. Like you say, you could be the best designer in the world but if you act like a troll then no one will use your services!
Agreed — no one likes being condescended to. If a client contacts you and wants you to do work for them, it’s because you have a high level of domain knowledge and they know that. No reason to rub it in their face. If the client does ask for something “dumb”, well…they’re not doing it on purpose, they’re just not making a fully informed decision. And as a person who has the information to make an informed decision, it’s your obligation to help them out — if you value their business, that is.
Thank you so much for this post Danny. Just this week I had a new client come in and I always try to make sure I have visual diagrams and examples to show them, explain and speak at their level so that they don’t become overwhelmed by the information I am trying to convey.
That’s great. Knowing next to nothing about design doesn’t mean that you should be treated poorly. Thanks for the post.
Great subject, I made a video comment about this on my blog: http://www.cmdshiftdesign.com/blog/2009/10/30/i-love-my-clients/
Thanks for the mention in the video. If you guys haven't checked it out, go watch.
True, but you have to qualify your clients right out of the box. Remember, about a third of the phone calls you get, are fishing expeditions or someone trying to pick your brain. Some companies are good at it and some are horrible and are actually turning away good customers…..like in your case with the CPA.
I sincerely don’t understand why people are such jerks sometimes, especially to artists, it’s as though our job is of “less importance” when in reality it can be what helps to make or break their business…
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