The Two Types of Website Clients
Have you ever come across the client who "wants a blog". When you ask them why, it's because they've heard that they are a great way of building SEO positioning. When you ask why that matters they say to generate traffic. When you ask why that matters, they say they want to generate leads. When you ask why that matters they say to increase sales. So, what they actually want is a cost effective way to increase sales of which a blog may or may not be the right approach . . .
Generally when I get to this point (assuming I manage to get this far - a certain proportion of clients won't even answer the questions - they just want to know if you'll set up a blog and what it'll cost), clients break into two groups. Those who get that you're trying to help them to look at the best ways of meeting their underlying business objectives and those that say "that's fine, but I just want a blog".
Obviously like most things, real people exist on a continuum between the two polar opposites rather than at the poles, but I've definitely found that some clients are much more interested in an implementation partner (do what we've decided - even if it doesn't make sense) and others are looking for a partner that can use their experience of web technologies to achieve their business intents as quickly, elegantly and cost effectively as possible.
What are your thoughts on the "two types of clients"? How do you handle implementation clients - do you just build whatever they want? What about the consulting clients? Have you found one type of client or the other to be more profitable, easier to work with, and/or more fulfilling?
Any thoughts appreciated!
I would think that a conversation such as "Are you sure you really want to do that?" should be short. If they're paying you by the hour, you don't want to get into a confrontation with every new idea. If you're doing a side project as a favor to a friend, the luxury of talking about the merits is one of the reasons you're doing it as a favor.
In "Balancing Agility and Discipline" Barry Boehm, explains about the Collaborative Representative Authorized Committed Knowledgeable customer:
The on-site customer in this project had a vision of the perfect system she wanted to develop. She was able to provide user stories that were easy to estimate. Moreover, she was with the development team every day, answering any business questions the developer had. Halfway [through] the project, several things changed, which eventually led to the project being cancelled.
One of the changes was the replacement of the on-site customer, showing that the actual way in which the customer is involved is one of the key success factors in an XP project. The new on-site customer was present most of the time, just like the previous on-site customer, and available to the development team for questions. Unfortunately, the requirements and user stories were not as crisp as they were before.
snippet here: http://sunset.usc.edu/csse/TECHRPTS/2003/usccse200...
Meanwhile, I have found myself on the other side of the pile, too, where my customer actually knows far more than me, both in what I have to implement for them (the domain), and what I am using to implement it. Meaning, I am learning almost everything to do with delivering the system as I go along, and they are aware of this.
In this case, you need a client who is on crack again; only this time, you have to be on a lot of crack too to be shoving the questions the other way around.
cheers,
eokyere
I guess it depends, but I try not to undertake work that I know will never get used, as it's bad value for the client and disheartening for me. In your example a blog is unlikely to be used beyond the first few entries as the sort of client you describe would likely jump to the next "quick fix" idea when they saw the opportunity.
Naturally we all need to pay the bills, and in the example you gave, where somebody has been tasked with a very specific wishlist, I guess I would. After all it's not my place to decide how they run their business!
I think I'm going to revisit this over time. By preference I'd certainly rather focus on clients that let me add the maximum value to them per unit of cost . . .
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starting with the worst first we have the "wanabe web-star" customers with really tiny budgets, they know nothing and care for nothing, they just want a blog.....these guys care for nothng/no-one you just have to please them to any length they desire, they pay well in some cases and if not served properly they can harm your reputation or claim a 100% refund.
then we have the typical elderly clients who know nothing technical but knows his business TOO WELL ....with due patience they work with you based on his business requirements as you develop their desired framework. they are very co-operative and they pay very well if you add even a little extra to their dream-website.
then we have the semi-technical clients , who will "GET THAT BLOG" for sure alright and when you start development, they start expanding some of their requirements, and more often then not, we have to say yes sir. they are some times very helpful because as you build their dream-blog, they surf internet for hours and send you a lot of information/ resources etc...for inclusion in their blog ofcourse.....and thats when we get the chance to send that invoice for the "extra", because they to want to be top-of-the-lot and usually agree to pay about 50% of normal price for any and all "extras" they ( or say we) come up with. these guys are sure repeat customers as well.
then there is the "top-techie" kind of clients who would send you a PPT with 50 slides, each explaining the individual screens/forms and other specifications of the website/software they need. you save a lot of time in system & database design phase in such projects. they pay strictly as per "agreed price/payment plan" and act very well as a referrer if pleased. but if you even slightly fail on your duties and the final outcome is not BETTER THAN they had planned....they send yor project the dustbin way and move on. without even bothering to ask for refunds, because "top-techie managers" are not employed by small sized businesses in USA