I guess I would be speaking on your behalf when I say that I feel so grateful for my clients. After all, they put their trust in me and gladly compensate me for my efforts. I wouldn’t ask for more except that few clients, sometimes unintentionally, drive me mad. Here are some suggestions on how to handle them.

When Your Client Is Not A “Techie” And Expects You To Work Miracles

About two months ago, I started a new project with a prime client that was used to giving clear tasks, prompt payments, without fidgeting or idiotic requests. My task was to add a new functionality to a pre-existing project. To make a long story short, server problems and other issues that were entirely out of my hands were stacking up and I couldn’t finish the project within my proposed time span/budget.

Dealing with the problem

I called my client and informed him about this problem and that I would continue working on fixing errors and making it work as soon as possible. The extra hours would not be billed since at first, I promised to have it finished on deadline (which I was unable to).

I told my client about me not billing the extra hours and he was grateful for that. One week later, while I was working like a crazy man, mad amounts of daily hours I put into the project while earning nothing, I received a shouting-angry call from my client! He was complaining about the project not yet being finished, repeating the same points I already cleared out a week ago. Needless to say, this drove me mad!

What did I do?

I sent him a clear email the morning after stating the entire progress of the project bugs, errors and holdups. Most importantly, I made it crystal clear that it wasn’t my fault. At the end of the mail, I gave my client two options:

• Option A: If my client didn’t appreciate the great service I was giving him and could not refrain himself from making useless angry phone calls although I am completely dedicated to his project, then I would try to understand him, bill the hours I’ve been putting in the project in the past days, and say goodbye.
• Option B: I need to feel appreciated for the valuable service that I have been donating if he wants me to complete the project

Guess what, the angry client turned 180 degrees and I never faced this problem with him again!

When Your Client Gives You Unrealistic Requests

Again lack of technical knowledge is usually behind the unrealistic expectations that I notice with most clients. This time he wasn’t just a repeat client but a good friend as well. He gave me the impression that the world would come to an end if I didn’t finish a huge project in two weeks! Even worse, he put me in charge of finding other candidates to work with me in the project!

It didn’t take me long to realize that if somehow I managed not to sleep the whole project duration, I still wouldn’t finish half of it! So after a week of misery, I emailed him and explained to him why, in spite of all my sincere efforts, I can NOT finish the project on time. To my surprise, he was very understanding and encouraged to take my time and don’t compromise quantity over quality and so I did.

Deciding to let go

I know you think I’m insane to “fire” a client but wait until you hear the entire story. This client was very clever: she paid 50% in advance and as a result, I was so grateful and was fired up with enthusiasm to dedicate my entire time for her project. However, she bombarded with changes in requirements that meant starting from scratch all over again.

Changing requirements is unavoidable in almost all projects but this time she took it way too far: she requested changing the entire design, colour, layout, you name it, not once but twice.
Finally, I realized that this project was draining my energy and that I was dedicating at least two times the hours that I should. The advance payment was a trap she created to justify the sad fact that she hesitant as hell and doesn’t have the slightest idea what she wants.

After politely explaining that we didn’t agree on major change in requirements, she wasn’t appreciative at all. As a result, I gave her half her money and ended the damn project! You might wonder why did I pay her a penny after all, well we had common contacts and I didn’t want get any negative feedback from her that would hinder my chances of working with her contacts.

In all the above cases, I must admit that I do give the clients some excuse because of their lack of technical knowledge. That’s why, I strongly advise you to avoid using technical jargon with clients and use simple language instead. Still, you need to give him a clear idea about your exact task(s). Most of the time, effective communication will do the trick and you and your client will be happy at the end of the day. However, if worse comes to worst, you will have to “fire” your client…

What do you think?

I can’t wait to read your comments. Please share with me your own client-driving-me crazy story(s), if any.

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