I agree - all new clients for the past year are carefully accepted - but
funny thing is - that all this little piddly work that others ignore -
if handled right can be a profit point for someone else.
You just have to know how to deal with the PITA clients. When to ditch
them - when to price them away and when to efficiently take there
changes and make a large chunk of change. These smaller clients just put
in a nice large free form in ground pool for my daughter *grin
Funny thing is that while jumping on every opportunity is a small
business desire and nightmare - I definately advise against it as well.
BUT Customer Service and handling your clients and their needs - even
after the thought has set my agency apart. 0 advertising, 0 cold calls -
booked for the next 6 months on 100% referrals because of customer
service and my flexibility - and meeting their needs.
Funny thing is -what has allowed me to deal with these pain in the ass
clients easier.. Cold Fusion - with template includes and database
content -
Getting back to case in point - tools to effectively allow customers to
participate in site maintenance will provoke happiness for them, and
future large changes and modfications to site when they see the results
a maintained site bring in.
jay m.
P.S. - Of course there is always that "PITA" that you should run from
screaming. he he
Mark A. Kruger - CFG wrote:
>Jay,
>
>Yeah - and another law is at work here. It's called Mark's PITA law (and it
>has nothing to do with animals). It's states:
>
>"...the smaller the fee the client is willing to pay, the bigger the PITA he
>or she will become"
>
>If you have trouble with my acronym, the first three words are "Pain in
>the...".
>
>It amazes me how many folks buy the cheapest possible hosting package, pair
>down specs to below bare bones because of the cost involved, then call you
>every other day because they are still not happy with a verdona font, or the
>style of the vlink ("... have we tried Tahoma yet? I think I'd really like
>to try tahoma for a few days...."). About a year and a half ago I found a
>few contractors in my area and I just started shifting any clients below a
>certain threshold away from my business.
>
>That's scary for a small business because you think you have to jump on
>every opportunity. What I found, however, is that my focus improved, my
>time to release for projects improved, and my documentation improved. I was
>able to take on larger projects. Now, the only sites like that are left
>with that "small scale" problem are a legacy of our start up.
>
>-mk
>
>
>
>
>
>---------------------------------
>I personally have 1 full file box full of lengthy emails explaining a 1
>sentence change on a non commerce page - of which I have had to resort
>to printing, dating and putting time spent on it and having it accompany
>a bill for those clients who bawk at a measly $200 bill one month...
>while I have had to read through 50 emails - print 30 of them, and note
>everything - All of which consumes more consumables(printer ink) and
>time in administration then the actual change takes - Funny thing is
>clients - feel that part of that time is just part of doing business and
>they are not responsible for that.
>
>I have a feeling that I am not the only one with 6 out of 10 clients who
>fit this.
>
>jay m.
>
>
>
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