self-absorbed paranoid passive-aggressive relentless and cruel.
You’re not the first to attack this project and the clues are subtle: a bad word about another creative designer,
The Rebounder.
The best way to avoid the client from hell is learning how to spot them to begin with. Here are some common types:
Spot the Clues
They have difficulty making up their minds, and when they do, watch out. They’ll change their minds again, making a more disastrous choice, only to blame you or others when things sour. When you save the day through tremendous effort and fast thinking, they step in to take all the credit.
• • • • •
You may have dealt with one already, a client who is:
There's no getting around it. At some point in your career you’ll be dragged through an ordeal so tortuous that you’ll question your sanity, career choice, and self worth. It will test the limits of your patience and force you to plumb hitherto unknown depths of frustration. And it's all because of one difficult person often (charitably) referred to as a high-maintenance client.
Written by Eric J. Adams. Production by Kong.
One difficult client can leave you wondering what would have been so bad about med. school after all. Eric J. Adams shares tips on how to spot and deal with highmaintenance clients.
Coping with the Client from Hell
It’s your life, your business, your sanity. Walk away but be prepared to suffer the consequences, including compensation for the time you have already invested in the project and a blow or two to your reputation. Be polite but firm, making sure not to leave the client in the lurch.
If you’ve contracted the job in stages, look to the next milestone and pull out then. You may have to renegotiate, but a quick break up may be better than a dragged out divorce later.
Find a quick exit.
As the saying goes, this too will pass. Soon the client from hell will be somebody else’s client but for now they’re yours, so grit your teeth and simply endure until the contract is up. With every abhorrent client there are “lessons to be learned” about human nature and your intuition.
Live with it.
Even if you're vigilant, you'll probably be fooled at some point. So how do you deal with a monstrosity such as this? Here are a few suggestions:
Take a Deep Breath
If they don't want it in writing, run like crazy. These people can and will use a nebulous agreement to their advantage later, either by “assuming” the contract includes extra work, or redefining the project as time passes.
The Handshaker.
If a client starts talking about deferred payment right from the start, get ready for that long and arduous relationship. You’re in the business of providing services, not assuming project risks. Clients who ask you to defer billing or wait until funding is in place don’t appreciate you and your services, and their attitude will spill over into other aspects of your relationship.
The Pay-You-Later.
You know the type: “I could do this myself but I don't have the time.” If they think they can do it themselves, they think they can do it better than you—Danger ahead.
The Do-It-Yourselfer.
a half-finished project, a set of project guidelines that are scribbled upon beyond belief. Learn as much as you can about the project and client history before you sign on.
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Hooking up with the client from hell is a bad, bad thing, but it's not the worst. The worst is having no clients at all. So even if you have a doozy on your hands, remember that it's better than repeating “do you want fries with that?” all day.
If you narrow it down, even the most egregious client is guilty of just a select number of offenses, be it incessant telephone calling, perpetual meddling, or micro-managing. Find the one behavior that hurts the most and work like the dickens with the client to change it. Does the client call 10-20 times a day? Tell your client you’ll have to bill for additional hours or wait a day or two before returning calls.
Encourage better behavior.
If your letter of agreement or contract is well written, you’ve included provisions that allow you to charge extra for extra work. Now is the time to slip the contract under the client's nose and let them know that the meter is running for every unnecessary request or other ill use of your time.
Restructure your contract.
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