Comments on: When Clients Mess Things Up

By: Project Web Episode 002 – Defining the Freelance Project Manager – Chris LeCompte

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:03:37 +0000

[...] When Clients Mess Things Up (WebWorkerDaily) [...]

By: Letting go of old work

Letting go of old work — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:07:49 +0000

[...] cases), but still, not easy. Today, I came across an interesting read on webworkerdaily.com: “When Clients Mess Things Up“. It offered a few tips (particularly for freelance or consultancy jobs) on what do to when [...]

By: Was machst du, wenn dein Kunde deine Idee ruiniert? « The War of Art Directors

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 07:13:13 +0000

[...] Den Artikel gibt es auf webworkerdaily.com: When Clients Mess Things Up [...]

By: Suzanne Lainson

Suzanne Lainson — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 05:03:32 +0000

I disassociated myself from one project when the client handed it over to some in-house people who started going off in a different direction. I initially tried to prevent the misdirection, with no luck. So I decided I didn't want my name associated with the project and asked that it be taken off. I knew that the project would go downhill from there, and it did, but I felt the only way they were going to learn anything was to take full responsibility for it and see the results.

Now the opportunity is there for me to step back in, but the damage has been done and I've been so busy with other projects that I've decided it's not something I want to be involved with anymore.

By: Kat Gordon

Kat Gordon — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:32:31 +0000

Recently my agency had to distance ourselves from a client after they decided to decline an award we won for them. What did I do? I turned it into lemonade, writing an impassioned blog post (that never named the client) to use their misstep as a caution to others. I outlined the 5 things they were not understanding about marketing to women. It was the most forwarded, retweeted and commented post I've ever written. I believe I helped other brand managers not be "that guy" whose blindness is a liability.

By: Tanner Christensen

Tanner Christensen — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:32:12 +0000

The question to ask is: does it matter?

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:14:39 +0000

If clients didn't mess things up they wouldn't need us in the first place.

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:59:03 +0000

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell

By: Alyssa Gardina

Alyssa Gardina — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 02:51:06 +0000

I think we all, as designers, consultants and writers, have the responsibility to prepare our clients as best as possible against messing things up. Too often, contractors just hand over the login information with little more than a good luck wish. As you explain in #5 - document, explain and prepare.

We can't plan for every contingency or client's whim, but at least if they're given all of the necessary information, we can rest assured that we did the best we could in preparing them to handle their assets.

By: Alan

Alan — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 23:41:53 +0000

That is so interesting. I just had a client take over a site and subsequently add huge images and videos which stretched out the layout. If only they would reply to my emails and phone called to fix them. Apparently they are going at it alone.