It sounds so simple, the client signs a budget, we do the work, the client makes changes/delays, the project is delayed/extended, the client should pay for the increases to the budget.

Its not that easy thought - I have a client who doesnt want to spend much money, they dont have a good understanding of web site developement (my biz) and they put us through the ringer on costs.

Any ideas/experience in working with a client around the touchy subject of budget, standing firm to your estimates but not making the client angry when you tell them, "this is the budget". I go through my info and get to the point where the client says "but I dont think it should cost this much" and Im not sure how to respond to that without restating what I just said - which is not going to make the client feel good or help the situation.

How do you pick up and keep going in this situation?

Thanks!

Hello Cara,

Budget overruns and Projects going haywire eh? Well, some advice I hope helps from someone who definitely has had to cope with some of the worst people in this area!

I think it all hinges on what kind of documentation do you have in place to secure the details of what is to be done. Do you have people sign off a Site plan? A Brief on what's to be done? An authorisation to complete / commence a Stage of development. We have all three of those for example.

We've had people who ring us up and say, "Oh by the way, you can throw this in as well can't you? ..." even though they NEVER mentioned it whatsoever at the time of commissioning the Project, when you specifically asked whether they wanted it when working out your details and budget, and before signing the dotted line. It can be frustrating, I know very well!!!

There's a fine line: do you say, 'Sorry we can't add that now...' which says to them you're a tad inflexible about things? Now, You will be able to add the component of course, but maybe not with the current plan they have in mind or signed off on. I find the best solution is to say straight away, "Yes, it can be done, but based on our agreement before starting and the Project Brief we came up with, that was not included AS YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN ON THE PLAN YOU HAVE A COPY OF AND SIGNED. We'll have to quote separately on that component. Is that fine?"

IF that's alright with them (and it usually is, or really should be), then you get to be paid for staying up till 5am and doing that extra stuff. If they then say "But I thought it was included..." You can refer them straight back to their original specifications that they signed off on (remind them again if you have to), and take it from there as to why this will now be a price change and more importantly, delivery time.

Also, post up your Terms and Conditions on your Web site Large And Clear. I personally think this is good, because people can lose that Brief you did for them (as has happened to us twice now...) thus forgetting the finer points of commissioning work from you. That way, there's no way they can come back at you and say, "We didn't realise your Terms on this where ...". And you can say, "Well, dear Client, it's always available on the Web site, and has been for the last 5 years actually ..." (though maybe not with quite that sarcastic last bit of the sentence!!!).

I think the main problem with people adding things willy-nilly is that this is Computer work, and a LOT of people therefore have the idea that Web design is basically like doing a document up in Word and hey presto, it's away. If only...

Before they sign the plan, really explain the simple fact that some changes which may seem minor can be real major on the development side of things. Like adding that extra five pages they suddenly dreamed up overnight, which may not only affect the entire visual display because you now have to think of adding yet another 10 links to a menu, but obviously also the way in which these must now function. As you will know, designing static buttons for a menu to cope with 10 pages is a lot different from a search engine interface and database backend that may now be required because of the latest Client wish list.

The fact is, they don't have a clue about this at all (and probably don't want to either, they just want it done in time to impress people basically), but in plain English you do really have to hammer home: "Now, for your Site we're doing the menu this way, because you want to achieve this. If you think that such-and-such will be added in future, we will instead (or ALSO) quote on this kind of setup ...". Yes, submit 2 or 3 options on various scenarios, and get them to see the importance of foresight / upscaling the Site in future. The background planning takes a different turn depending on their ideas here: make them see that.

Really, the hardcore Documentation and Contractual Terms of Work are the only thing that will allow you to get out of tight spots such as these. It IS your right to insist that you expect people to have read them and bring up any queries before signing. After all, it's common sense to do so (though from past Client's of ours, that would be hard to know!). Yes, it's very difficult to explain to people how Web design is not just a case of cut and paste, but if there is a hardcore piece of paper with the Do's and Don'ts of dealing with you, you'll have a bit of an arsenal to combat the Project creep.

The most difficult people I've found are the people who commission the work, then delay about a thousand years in getting material to include in the site, and THEN start sniping that it wasn't ready on time etc. The way we dealt with one client of this ilk was simply to point out the dates in black and white that they wanted it done by, the dates on which they then promised to deliver the material required, and the dates on which they ACTUALLY did. A radical change of attitude from them was the result (and in our favour I might add). Simple: it shows them up for the whingers that they are -- if they've got no grounds for complaint on that score, they'll feel more than a little stupid for complaining about it in the first place. You don't intend to make them feel stupid, but don't put yourself through the wringer if they really are at fault on that. A classic case was someone who complained we didn't get their Site pages up in time .. even though they delayed for over two weeks after the Site was done to hand over the codes to get into the Server in the first place. We explained to them that sending it via Fax / or Email was perfectly okay, and they didn't even want to say it over the phone to us believe it or not.

Here's a handy line in our own Contract which you can feel free to put in any agreement to do work, which goes like this (my comments on this enclosed within [[ / ]]:

"PERIOD OF SERVICE(S): The Project is expected to commence no later than the Date specified in the Brief [[YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ONE]] and as written on the Sign-off Record(s) [[FURTHER REITERATIONS OF WHAT IS TO BE DONE at any given Project Development Stage.. we have three stages of a Project: 1) Commencement of Service, 2) Continued Service (they sign this, they've approved the Draft specs / Stage (1), which specifically is the skeleton of the Site which shows how the navigation goes, and the overall Site superstructure without specific content etc.), and 3) Finalise / Authorising Release]]. This is also dependent on YOUR-COMPANY-NAME receiving materials from the client in a timely and efficient manner. In any case, YOUR-COMPANY-NAME cannot be held responsible for the inability to provide timely completion of the project if this does not occur, and further is removed from any liability that such a delay might cause the Client as a result."

The most important bit ... that last paragraph beginning 'In any case'.

I hope that helps in some way

Best of luck for future Services to Client's!

Alan
http://www.edesignz.co.nz

Thanks for your response - I do all of the things you touched on in your message - the tough part is doing all of this without saying "remember the contract - let's look at the contract"...client's hate that. We have great documentation and contracts etc, its the face to face, dipolomatic way of hearing what your client is upset about, responding to in a way that says "I care but Im not backing down"....Thanks again for your response!

Yes, you're right, they do get irked sometimes when "prodded" toward looking again at that dotted line.

I'm interested to know whether you find bigger companies more a problem than smaller ones ? ... seems they like to forget very conveniently where those all important bits of paper are, that's been my experience sometimes! "Oh so and so signed that, we've got to look that up in X dept. I think "smaller people" have a bit better understanding of some of the strains, because they go through it themselves a lot more.

Alan
http://www.edesignz.co.nz