Comments on: Is the customer always right?

By: Hamish Rickerby

Hamish Rickerby — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:58:01 +0000

Completely agree. But what is the best method to tell a client who truly believes that they think they know what’s best is actually commercial/design/technical suicide?

I have this problem today.

By: kavey

kavey — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:46:43 +0000

As with most things, there’s a balance to be struck.

I would certainly do my best to steer a client away from poor decisions, explaining in careful detail exactly why I felt what they’d asked for wasn’t the best idea, and even some experiences to back that up if need be.

And actually this has happened on a number of occasions. And often, I’ve found that it’s worked.

But, sometimes it doesn’t and, once you’ve discharged your duty to (genuinely) try and steer the client down what you believe is the best path, sometimes you have to allow them to make decisions that you don’t agree with.

In my case, as I’m self-employed, I have the luxury of walking away from projects/ clients where we disagree fundamentally about the best approach (not in the middle, I hasten to add, but following initial two-way interviews). It’s not a case of “if you don’t do it my way I’m throwing my toys out of the pram” but a case of “in my professional opinion, I believe this approach is wrong, and I’m not willing to deliver it this way” and then a (genuine) wish that they find someone that suits their needs better and best of luck…

By: Nikki

Nikki — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:47:04 +0000

Bad design and lack of usability are things that experience should prevent… but eye-searing – sometimes that would involve tackling an entire corporation and asking them to change their entire brand (e.g. lastminute.com have a particular pink for their logo and their website is a strain to look at due to all the bright colour)

It can still be good design even if with bad visuals. If it’s painful on the eyes then it doesn’t go in the portfolio (well, not as is) – simples