Do you not know how to respond when clients ask you to add lousy design ideas and practices to your designs? You might have already heard designers complain about this, and it’s a problem that designers have to deal with regularly. That’s why you need to know how to respond. We want to help you with that and give you ideas for dealing with terrible clients in your design practice. Whether that’s in a UX design company or if you are working by yourself.
This is a problem that experienced designers and new designers have to deal with, and we have found the best ideas and advice you can follow when you come across terrible clients. You are the professional, so you need to handle these situations with care; you need to remember that the client isn’t a designer, and they need to be guided by you.
You Need To Be Direct With The Client
You need to help the client understand from the start. Don’t be vague with your explanations and requirements, and don’t let them be unclear about what they need from you. Ask them questions about the project and find out as much as possible from them. The more information you have, the easier it will be to give them what they want and avoid problems with the client.
The client might assume that you understand what they mean if they are being vague if you don’t ask questions to learn more. This is a mistake the new designers make, and you need to avoid it.
If the client isn’t giving you the answers you need, you can ask them the right questions to get better responses. Make sure to get critical information like the client’s budget and the deadline for the design project. You need to get all of this information before you make a start.
Know The Scope Of The Project
Scope creep is frustrating, and designers have to deal with it regularly. You need to set the project’s degree first and not let it grow. Don’t let the client demand more from you after agreeing on the project. You should look out for the early warning signs to avoid this type of client. If the client is vague and isn’t sure of what they need, they will usually start to ask for more during the project.
If the client wants more, you need to talk to them about the extra cost and how the additional work will affect the deadline you agreed on.
Know When To Decline Clients
It can be hard to decline clients when you start, but you need to know when to reduce them. If they don’t know what they need and are not talking about the budget for the project, then these are ominous signs.
You Need To Manage The Client’s Expectations
You are the designer, and it’s up to you to set the right expectations when you show the client the designs. Make sure to talk to the client about the type of feedback they are giving. You need to get feedback that will help you make improvements.
If the client has concerns about the design, you need to find out why. If they start pointing out minor issues, you need to steer them to more detailed feedback. Remind the client about the project’s goal and what the design is trying to communicate.
Your client isn’t always going to be the target audience for the design. It would help if you reminded them of this. Even if they don’t like the design, what’s important is if the target audience does. That’s why you need to test the design with groups of the target audience. Find out what they like about it, what they don’t like, and what changes they think would improve the design. You don’t have to make all of these changes, but if different people tell you the same thing, you should consider the feedback.
Use Data To Support Your Design Decisions
If the client has an idea for the design that you know will not work, you can show them data supporting why. Using your design knowledge is necessary, and telling clients no is something you need to learn, but you should explain why you don’t want to add specific design ideas. This will help the client understand and give better suggestions as well.
If the client wants something added to the design, you can create a mockup of the design and show them what it will look like. This usually convinces the client that it’s not the best idea, and you can focus on what will help the client’s design succeed.
Conclusion
It would help if you remembered that the client is not a designer and they need to be guided by you. They want ideas that won’t work and are not aligned with the design’s goals. Then tell them that. Talk about it with them. Communication is essential, and you need to explain why you chose specific designs over others. If you need more help dealing with terrible clients, then learn what a UX design company might do when having problems with a client.
It would help if you were patient and professional with your clients. Ensure you pick your clients carefully. This is how you can become a successful designer that can work by yourself or in a UX design company.
