then by all means dont hire anybody on this forum, go and talk to a local agency. but know that there is a strong likelihood of your requests being questioned when you're not around.
it's the way of things. you think car mechanics dont laugh about their customers when they come in asking ridiculous questions?
I have been a designer for over 5 years and have had some absolutely mad clients - arrogant, rude, completely disrespectful. every designer i have met at networking events has had some horror story to tell.
of course we respect our clients businesses. we are there to aid them and guide them in making the right decisions. it's when the sheer arrogance of the client himself/herself clouds the final goal that things get ugly. and if we cannot guide them; if the client wins, we'll be damn sure to critisize that amongst our peers.
I am sorry - I have to disagree with that - there are plenty in the web industry who will not react in that way, indeed I find it disturbing that any do.
Yes, there will be clients who will be arrogant / rude / unhelpful etc. but they are so tiny a minority as to make them a rarity. Often that is how they are seen, but with most it is not actually how they are - understanding the person is surely a key part to building the relationships needed in business - someone may be rude because they have had a tough day - often there are ways of responding which are professional - ignore the rudeness, meet the underlying needs etc. I have had customers who have then come back and apologised later, we are all allowed to slip when we are the customer - but the business, no. Even if a client is rude or arrogant, professionalism means that we do not rise to it - ultimately they are paying us, we are in a service industry serving them, which makes us the servants and them the master.
Yes, we should advise, and especially if our experience / knowledge shows that what they are suggesting is potentially bad for their business - but there are ways of doing it - if necessary I would use examples of websites they are familiar with and which they respect to make a point, I would make suggestions, lay out possible consequences - all dispassionately and guide them in the direction I believe to be right. If I feel that they are going in the wrong direction I will put in writing what I think and why, and then leave them to make the choice - I will put the choices very clearly, but ultimately they choose, not me.
I am worried when I see words such as yours above:
if the client wins, we'll be damn sure to critisize that amongst our peers.
what is this talk of
'winning' it is not a competition, our job is to be on the same side as the client - it is not a pitched battle against them with the designer / specialist trying to prove that somehow they are better
Our role is to facilitate, to use our experience and skills to provide them with what they need to grow their business etc.
It is fascinating that people in this industry are prepared to publicly make these kinds of statements - professional suicide I would have thought - rather like Mr Ratner
Yes, we are all human and may be tempted to think certain thoughts - but in running a business we should be professional - maybe that is what this industry needs a little bit more - professionalism... - the client comes first.
Alasdair
