The importance of providing excellent customer service in any business whatsoever cannot be overestimated. The benefits are tremendous and also vital towards the survival of any business. As vital as providing excellent customer service is, some customers make this task very demanding.
For web designers, having a demanding client is not uncommon as the technicalities involved in designing is strange to most clients. While you might be tempted to drop any “troublesome” clients, managing them will benefit your agency than completely cutting ties with them.
The following are some of the tips to consider when engaging any difficult web design client.
- The final project belongs to the client: The final decision on the project rests with your clients as they are the ones footing the bills. If the client has a design in mind that is contrary to what you have in mind, you are better off accepting his view as long as that is what makes him happy.
- Define and document the scope of work: This written agreement should contain in clear terms, what the task entails, the features it will have, the number of revisions and its submission date. In the event that the client is trying to subtly add another task, adjust the submission date or trying to adjust the entire scope of work you initially agreed on, you can always refer him back to the agreement you drafted and the conditions which must be fulfilled before additional tasks are accepted.
- You are the Expert: Throughout the design process, you might get some ridiculous requests and suggestions from clients which might infuriate you. In moments like this, you need to practice reflective listening and subtly educate them about why their request is not feasible. Your clients must understand that your job is not only to make a visually appealing website but an effective one which will properly serve the initial purpose. After all, you wouldn’t be offered the task in the very first place if your clients were website design experts.
- Constant Communication: Any successful business establishment understands the importance of constant communication with clients. Web design clients are in the category of clients that need to get feedback as frequent as possible. You need to brief your clients about the communication mode and also encourage them to ask questions as this will help you stay on the same page with your client.
More importantly, you need to master the art of subtle communication. This makes it easier to clarify and treat the hard questions when they arise.
Evidently, dealing with demanding clients will not be the first thing that comes to your head before you began this journey but you will always encounter them. When you do, burning the bridge should not be the first thought that comes to your mind as it is not always the better idea. Every website designer is in the service line of business and you need all the good ratings you can get from the public if your aim is to go far in this industry.
Have a question about your web design project? Call E-Brand Promotion and our web development team will help you every step of the way from conceptualizing the idea to design and full implementation.
