3 ms·

Ask HN: First Client Issues

2 points by firstclient 16y ago

I am a hiding my name because this is my first client and I don't want people to go looking for my company (though that might be great advertising). I've got a client that I know through multiple relationship maps (former co-worker of my wife and sibling of a friend of a friend) and while I was not a friend of the sibling, I was an acquaintance. Client has a cousin doing her Graphical Design but the GD doesn't have any web experience. GD sent over three PDFs, one of all the products, one of the website, and one of the website specs. The website specs did not contain sizing information for the images or the pages, it contained font/spacing/coloring/page flow information. I asked the GD for the sizing of the web page and was provided an answer. There was some functionality in the site design which I discussed with the client and removed (GD was inaccessible) based on an agreement. I finished the site and client reviewed making a few changes. Did a second review and then sent the link to the GD for their review. GD commented on the proportions being off and the distortion of some images. I agreed that the dimensions were off, but that's what I was told to go with and if the measurements I have are not right, I need to know what they should be. I reached out to the GD via phone and e-mail. Did not hear back until I received an e-mail from the client to both of us. Basically the e-mail's tone was that of threatening if I couldn't finish the project client would find someone who could and that if the GD can't get me the information than the Client doens't know what I'll need. And yadda yadda yadda. So the question is: Do I suck it up and make the changes or do I just write this off as a learning experience? Thanks. I appreciate it. Long time lurker..

jason_slack 16y ago
Do I understand right that these troubles you are experiencing are due to the GD, on multiple levels?
- firstclient 16y ago
  Yeah.. The GD doesn't seem to realize that it is necessary to define the size of the page to display the content when using formatting such as "centering" or "equal white space on both sides of the margin". I can't tell if the GD doesn't know what it is supposed to be and is expecting me to estimate and figure it out (which I don't want to spend time doing). The client, being the GD's cousin, is making it to be me that is the issue. There are things that have slowed this whole process down way too much. Some were my fault (I had to do this in PHP which I am not an expert in so it took some time to learn some tricks), some were not (both client and I have full time jobs, new borns/toddlers, and outside issues to deal with as well).
  - jason_slack 16y ago
    well are you comfortable with your ability at this point? If you need a fresh set of eyes to decide what way to go, my e-mail is in my profile and I could at least try to help a fellow HN'er. If it were me, I would put all my cards on the table to both the GC and cousin and just tell it like it is and how you feel. For some this would not be good advice, but for me, honesty is the best policy no matter how harsh it may be.
trevelyan 16y ago
Of course you make the changes. Your client's website looks ugly and as the person implementing it you are ultimately responsible. "Can't he see that it looks horrible," they're thinking. "Why should I give this guy more work if he can't take the initiative to fix things that are obviously wrong?" This sounds like a day or two of work max. So send the client a note apologizing for the problems, tell them you'll fix the proportion issues and graphics yourself, but that since you weren't expecting to have to do this, it will take a few extra days. Then give them a date when they can expect this to be done. And hit that deadline. Realistically, the GD could simply not be getting paid for dealing with you. Or they could be uncooperative for other reasons. And this may not be a customer worth having, but if you're dealing with a friend-of-a-friend, you've pretty much got to take care of them or you've torched anyone in that loop recommending you again. And you can negotiate a higher price in the future if you deal with them again, citing this sort of situation.

2 points by firstclient 16y ago

jason_slack 16y ago

Do I understand right that these troubles you are experiencing are due to the GD, on multiple levels?

firstclient 16y ago
Yeah.. The GD doesn't seem to realize that it is necessary to define the size of the page to display the content when using formatting such as "centering" or "equal white space on both sides of the margin". I can't tell if the GD doesn't know what it is supposed to be and is expecting me to estimate and figure it out (which I don't want to spend time doing). The client, being the GD's cousin, is making it to be me that is the issue. There are things that have slowed this whole process down way too much. Some were my fault (I had to do this in PHP which I am not an expert in so it took some time to learn some tricks), some were not (both client and I have full time jobs, new borns/toddlers, and outside issues to deal with as well).
- jason_slack 16y ago
  well are you comfortable with your ability at this point? If you need a fresh set of eyes to decide what way to go, my e-mail is in my profile and I could at least try to help a fellow HN'er. If it were me, I would put all my cards on the table to both the GC and cousin and just tell it like it is and how you feel. For some this would not be good advice, but for me, honesty is the best policy no matter how harsh it may be.

trevelyan 16y ago

Of course you make the changes. Your client's website looks ugly and as the person implementing it you are ultimately responsible. "Can't he see that it looks horrible," they're thinking. "Why should I give this guy more work if he can't take the initiative to fix things that are obviously wrong?" This sounds like a day or two of work max. So send the client a note apologizing for the problems, tell them you'll fix the proportion issues and graphics yourself, but that since you weren't expecting to have to do this, it will take a few extra days. Then give them a date when they can expect this to be done. And hit that deadline. Realistically, the GD could simply not be getting paid for dealing with you. Or they could be uncooperative for other reasons. And this may not be a customer worth having, but if you're dealing with a friend-of-a-friend, you've pretty much got to take care of them or you've torched anyone in that loop recommending you again. And you can negotiate a higher price in the future if you deal with them again, citing this sort of situation.