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Managing Client Expectations
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 2:39 pm
I’m going to talk a little bit about something we in the industry have to deal with every day, managing a client’s expectations. Most of the time they fall into three major categories: how it is done?; how long will it take?; and, of course, what do I get for my money?Most clients for whom we build sites aren’t familiar with the technology, code or terminology developers use. That is on us. All technical terms, from databases to servers, can be explained in layman’s language, and it is up to the manager or developer to convey the information simply to the client. We spend a great deal of time explaining how sites work and what they do.
Process is another issue. Development shops use differing work flow techniques, but in the end, most web professionals will tell you there is a right and wrong way to do things, and the order in which they are done is critical. Websites are a lot like houses; there is a correct sequence to build things. If you stray from that path, you will run into problems. You can’t put a roof on until the frame of the house is done.
Time is always important to clients. Managing client expectations in regard to how long sites take to build or change can be challenging. Quality websites take time. Speed and workload for the team are huge factors. Some may say you just need to make your team work harder or longer hours. But people get tired. When they are tired they make mistakes. Basically, we need time to do quality work!
The final major factor is money. Proprietary technology and physical things have set costs, but the majority of what you pay for when you buy a site is time, the time needed to have a dedicated professional design and code your site. The less money you spend, the more modest your site will be. If you bought a Hyundai, you can’t expect Ferrari performance.
Managing client expectations is a necessary skill in our field. So the next time your project manager, account executive or web developer starts talking and explaining things to you, they are more than likely trying to make sure you understand everything involved and that their work meets your approval.
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