For Creatives
If you work with clients in Trinidad and Tobago using an intensives model, you’re putting them through a new experience. So despite explaining we’re not going outside the scope of this signed document (better known as a brief), they’ll measure their experience with you alongside what they are accustomed to — going to a graphic designer and one or two questions are asked before the project begins. And automatically conclude that your 3 hr interview is you going above and beyond because they’re use to a quick 2–3 questions and that’s it.
Working as a professional graphic designer for many years myself…I know how the process goes. And while some graphic designers may have a more in depth questioning process, since companies are wilding in Trinidad and Tobago, its just not normal to see one in a 3 hour discussion about a project with a client even if they’re working for themselves. That said, a client would be justified making the comparison and deducing you with your 3 hour interview is out to somehow “please them”.
For Prospects:
But the concept of a longer interview being linked to “pleasing the client” is misleading (more on this later).
In a situation where you know someone has never experienced something before, you can put real context (not made up context) to what they are saying about their experience and not be perturbed by their words because you understand what they mean.
For Everyone Else:
Therefore a client expressing “100% satisfaction” that a designer went “above and beyond” don’t mean the designer is trying to please them in order to get rid of revisions. But that the client, being accustomed to less with other designers is trying to express that with you, they feel like they’re getting more than what they signed up for. All they have to do is check the brief and they’ll realize everything is within scope. But hey, is it such a bad accomplishment to say a client feels like they’re getting more value for their money?
If the mark of an expert is anticipating the client’s needs and reading their minds, then wouldn’t it be remiss to not take note of the aforementioned situation? And if the mark of value is the transformation a client goes through, wouldn’t one be blind to not celebrate if their client felt like they got more value for their money working with them?
The work is articulating the experience. According to Simon Sinek, we can only see the things we have words for.
What Pleasing A Client Really Looks Like
I’ve had people approach me for a website before without knowing why they needed it. You can easily make $15K (and I don’t mean paid over a period of 6 months, but paid in full all at once) off someone’s ignorance if you want to. Just ask the client to create a list of the pages for the site and deliver on their desires.
Right?
…But that is what pleasing a client looks like. Now, who wants this type of service?
This is why it’s misleading to believe that a designer is trying to please you. Anyone who takes pride in what they do knows clients often don’t know what they need, why they need it or understand the underlying challenges with achieving whatever their goal is.
If we have no words for what we need, how will we know when we’ve gotten it?
Experience has taught me how to dig deeper to lead a client to uncover their needs. To me this is the work; I’m doing my job. No one wants a designer who just placates their design goals. I’m sorry if my counterparts don’t operate this way, but the days of me sitting behind my iMac pulling rabbits out of a hat are over. And my hope with this article is to put context to what “above and beyond means” the length and breath of it for a client in Trinidad and Tobago to remove the stigma.
The removal of revisions might be a goal for other people, I’m sure their are service providers who run their blood to water to please their clients, its not easy watching a know-it-all butcher your work. But that isn’t the case for everyone. Many of my clients (when it’s presented), love their visual brand. So don’t be derailed by words if you have context. When all your ducks are in a row, you can be confident speaking on what the person means.
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