Client problem

[compulsive1]

Hey guys & gals,

Something has been buggin me for a while now. I recently had this job/project to do for one of my clients. It was for a site revamp. They wanted a site done and I had given them a template to look at to see if it was something they wanted. I got no contact back until yesterday. They had e-mailed me saying that we do not want your services because of the lack of professionalism. They had also created a site within the time I sent the template to the time they got back to me, which was about 2 weeks. Needless to say their site has a lot more potential than what is up now. And they were telling me how I should run my business, and the advice given to me... I had already known. I think that they thought that the template wasn't reworkable. They even said to me that my design was generic anbd looked like a template, when the site that they created looks much more like something a kid could do. I believe that this will be a loss on their part since there is so much that could have been done but oh well.. any advice would greatly help.

Here's the site they made:
http://www.sammysdoghouse.moonfruit.com/

Here's the template:

[japangreg]

...get over it and move on?

(might be better off in the board room)

[EVPohovich]

Thread moved to the Boardroom.

[compulsive1]

Thanks

[lefteyewilly]

well, i have to ask...why do you think they thought you were unprofessional? I think that's the key here. If you don't know, i suggest going back and looking through all your correspondance with them so you can learn what you did wrong.

Was it your template? Did you not follow any specific instructions that you were given? Did you not ask enough questions? Did you not keep in touch with them enough? Was your proposal wrought with errors? Did you sit down with them (or on the phone) and explain you and your business to them?

If it's not your fault, be sure to keep your emotions in check...there's still a lesson to be learned here, but either way...i agree with japangreg, and just move on.

[compulsive1]

I agree with you all also. They gave me total control over the creativity of the site. We did sit down and all he had given me was an incomplete outline/flowchart. I had asked them so many questions and I went with what they had told me. Maybe because the site wasn't completed? But I didn't want to go through creating a whole site without getting an OK from them first. That's all there was to it. I really don't know what went wrong... but whatever, you live and you learn.

[admedia]

Just looking at the 'template' you provided, and the site they ended up with... I don't think you offered or captured what they were looking for at all. Sometimes it's just a matter of getting inside your clients head by listening to them, looking at their office, their process, their personalities and asking them to show you examples of sites they like and looking at other sites in that industry.

Your template seems very cold, maybe a little high-tech or metropolitan.... anyways, the site they went with seems very bright, fun and happy... more of what I expect when I visit 'Sammy's Dog House' hot dog site.

Eating hot-dogs is about Americana, fairs, families, picnics, fun.... appetizing... i don't get any of that from the grey technical template...

while I think their current site is pretty sloppy it at least approaches perhaps what they are after more...

just my 2 cents... sorry if it sounds harsh... live and learn... there will be lots more clients and you will continue to lose some and win some.

[compulsive1]

Yea, that was exactly my point. It was very hard figuring out what they wanted, so I sort of went with what they wanted. The "industrial feel" was what they said they wanted. But my whole qualm is that they knew that I could have re-done it to fit what they wanted. Hence, the whole "template" I had made up. I didn't want to go through the creation of a whole site and figure out that it's not what they want... but no one contacted me. I just want to know what I did or if I did anything wrong. I believe I've done everything right. But like everyone says... you live and you learn. Thansk for all yur help everyone!

[admedia]

The "industrial feel" was what they said they wanted.

Just another thing... your job as the designer is to help them make good design choices and lead them in a direction, perhaps a direction they hadn't initially thought of. An "industrial feel" for a hot-dog / sandwich place probably isn't a good choice. In our line of work the client definitely isn't always right. I think it's important to listen though, if the really do want an industrial feel, there might be a way to cleverly incorporate some industrial elements in the design to pacify that wish.

But that said, sometimes designer and client just don't click... in that case it just doesn't happen.

[lefteyewilly]

Just looking at the 'template' you provided, and the site they ended up with... I don't think you offered or captured what they were looking for at all. Sometimes it's just a matter of getting inside your clients head by listening to them, looking at their office, their process, their personalities and asking them to show you examples of sites they like and looking at other sites in that industry.

Your template seems very cold, maybe a little high-tech or metropolitan.... anyways, the site they went with seems very bright, fun and happy... more of what I expect when I visit 'Sammy's Dog House' hot dog site.

Eating hot-dogs is about Americana, fairs, families, picnics, fun.... appetizing... i don't get any of that from the grey technical template...

while I think their current site is pretty sloppy it at least approaches perhaps what they are after more...

just my 2 cents... sorry if it sounds harsh... live and learn... there will be lots more clients and you will continue to lose some and win some.

Yup! 100% agree.

When i speak to a client on a new project i grill tem as if i have no idea what they're about. Asking them questions that don't always relate to design itself. Remember, businesses are run by PEOPLE, they'll almost always be happy if you can incorporate all aspects of both themselves and the entire business.

Another thing...especially if this is a new client...always give more than one mock-up design, then meeti with them face to face to see which parts of each they like the most. I usually do 3 completely different examples of how their site could look. Most of the time they'll mix and match until they're happy, thus making you happy.

Good luck man

[Loyal Rogue]

Without requoting admedia's post again, what he said is close to what I would have told you.

One thing that we always ask for in the beginning before starting a layout (or in your case, showing the client a random template) is that the client surf the web and find us two example sites that they like and tell us what they liked about each site, i.e. colors, navigation, content arrangement, etc.
This gives us some insight into the style of website that the client will be happy with.
Before we started that practice we were doing major revisions to the mock-up for every other project. Now we only have to change the initial layout on about one out of every 20-30 clients.

Don't be offended but I have to ask how old you are and how much professional experience you've had in dealing with clients?
Even if your layout or template wasn't what the client was looking for you should have been able to steer the business relationship in the right direction.

.

[compulsive1]

I'm young, still in college actually. So i'm basically just starting, but thanks for all the info everyone. I'll be sure to learn from this and hopefully things go well. Thanks!