What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger: When Web Designers Face Difficult Clients

by Ellen Foster

For the fifth time Mr. Jones asks why you’re not designing any “click here” buttons for his small kitchen appliance store’s website. It’s bad enough that he’s a friend of Uncle Steve and he’s paying you a fraction of what the big clients do—the big clients, who automatically assume that because you’re the web designer you know best. But the fact he constantly challenges your thought process is driving you mad. Why should you have to justify your web design ideas when you know you’re right and he’s completely uninformed?

Is This a Test?

Mr. Jones may be testing your patience, but his incessant questioning doesn’t mean he lacks faith in your web design knowledge and ability. Mr. Jones actually wants to know why you shun frames or why vertical scrolling is a-okay. He wants to know because this is his business you’re representing, his livelihood, and by golly your web design should work as hard as he does. Doesn’t this earnest man deserve an explanation?

Mr. Jones Could Help You Win over Mr. Fortune 500

Now if you think you’re humoring Mr. Jones solely for his benefit, think again. While most big clients take your word as the gospel truth, one day you might run into a Fortune 500 client who seriously questions your ideas. If you haven’t had to explain the nuts and bolts of your reasoning for years now, you’re not going to do it very eloquently. You may even lose the account.

The Moral of the Story

So don’t secretly roll your eyes when Mr. Jones rolls his at your concern for that foreign concept of cross-browser compatibility. If you can explain it to Mr. Jones, you can explain it to anyone. And that makes you a better web designer.

About the Author

Ellen Foster is a freelance writer and teacher. She has taught students aged five to forty-five.

Posted at 12:12 PM on January 12, 2007

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