Client Tip 3: Timeframes

There is one thing I would always like to say to a client but never do because you have to be a bit more diplomatic:

You are not the only client we have!

This comes up in a few situations, as a client you should avoid them at all costs:

1. The High Importance/ASAP Email

To a client every tweak and change to a website is important; if they notice something wrong or want to add something to improve the website usually they want it doing straight away. In the false hope of getting it done quicker they will tag an email with high importance or ASAP. What this in fact does, in my case, is drop it to the bottom of the list, simply put it pisses me off and it really is a pet hate of mine.

You are not the only client we have!

Sure there are times a client is emailing when something catastrophic has occurred. If the website is down or payments can’t be made then sure something will be done straight away, but if its text changes then it goes to the bottom of the list. It’s a simple case of first come, first served.

2. Project start dates

There is a time in a project where you speak with a client and confirm that the quote is okay and that you can start the project. A client then asks for a start date. Of course a date a few weeks away is mentioned and a client, even if they don’t say it, is thinking why not sooner.

You are not the only client we have!

What these clients are forgetting is that we will be already working on other projects; there project in no circumstances gets to jump the queue. There project will start as soon as we have free time available from any other projects. This could be straight away if delayed or in a few weeks if we’re busy and have lots to do.

3. Project Timeframe

We tend to not work with deadlines but a client will always want to have a rough idea of when their website will be finished. In the quote you will state a project cost and how much time that may equate to, let’s say 4 weeks. A probable start date may even be mentioned, again let’s say 4 weeks. Instantly a client assumes they will have a website live in 8 weeks.

You are not the only client we have!

Again the mistake a client makes here is that we will be only working on their project in that time, instead we will usually work on multiple other projects at the same time, switching from one to the other at time to time. There’s also another mistake a client makes and that is they forget that it’s not just us that are involved, they also need to do certain things to make sure a website goes live, like provide content, sign off design’s and add products to ecommerce websites. These are the primary delays in any project and a rant for another day.

If you’re a client all you need to do is be patient, a web company does not delay anything on purpose it’s just they have other work to do and that work is ordered by first come, first served or by importance, and they will judge what is important. A new project will always drop to the bottom and only critical changes rise to the top.