If you are working in advertising or social media field then you will relate to this article more than anything else. The most common thing in this field is how almost everyone works with a difficult client and these difficult clients have many types, and you have probably dealt with at least 2 of them. We’ll list them to you and we will guess your reaction in these situations.
1- The Nagging One
The whiny client is this one who simply doesn’t give you a break! He could give you a brief and then put you in a loophole of “Is it done? Why isn’t it done?” and when it’s time for edits, it’s even a deeper loophole of asking if the edits are done, if the task is ready, and why this is taking so long. You could be on a break and he keeps nagging to get what he wants
This one gives a terrible headache, we know and we’re sorry.
2- Mr. I want it all and I want it now
This client literally wants everything he can get. He interferes in the job, he gives dozens of ideas and edits and lets his creativity reaches the sky and then asks you to do all of this right now.
This type of client doesn’t understand that some tasks actually take time. They just shower you with tasks and expect to get them right now and if you object, they always tell you “I can get someone else to do it and they will even cost me less”
Want some advice? Tell them to get this superman.
3- The Logo Obsessed
Most graphic designers or account managers have dealt with this client, the one who is obsessed with the logo.
“Kabarli el logo” or “Please, make the logo bigger” Can you remember how many times you have heard this request?
And how many times you were about to scream your lungs out because enlarging the logo will ruin the design!
We haven’t figure out what caused this logo issue to these poor clients but we hope we figure it out
4- The Absent
This client is so exhausting; he tends to send you tasks or edits and then vanishes!
You literally search for him everywhere to get approval, to discuss a brief, or to even send a report and he’s simply not there.
This type of client tends to suddenly show up asking why the tasks are late or show up excited to work.
5- The Low Budget Dreamer
We all have probably met this client, he’s the ambitious type, who wants everything and will ask you for more ideas and more creativity but has jack squat regarding the budget!
This client lets you know that his budget is limited yet he still wants you to make his dreams come true. Little did he know is that you’re not a genie and he didn’t rub a lamp!
6- The Lost Hesitant Client
We feel sorry for this one because he just doesn’t know what he wants. He sends you a brief, you follow every word, yet he doesn’t like it. Why? Well, because he doesn’t even know what he wants, but he’s definitely sure that it’s not what you just worked on.
He’s lost, he can’t make up his mind; sometimes he can approve the idea but tells you that there’s something missing but he just doesn’t know what it is. This client can even ask for your opinion but then “Nah, it’s still not right”
He has probably mistaken you for a mind reader!
7- The “24/7” Client
This one doesn’t understand the concept of personal time, he could be sending you messages and emails after working hours or even on weekends. This type of client needs to know that there are certain hours that allow him to discuss tasks and he should stick to those hours only.
8- The Edits Keeper
This client has many edits but he simply doesn’t send them all at once! In other words, after finishing a task with its edits, he sends it back with even more edits that were never mentioned before.
Sometimes it’s a loophole of edits that simply doesn’t end, and other times it ends with a little bit of struggle and going crazy.
9- The Mysterious
Everyone has definitely had those situations when the brief wasn’t clear, this is because of the mysterious client!
Those mysterious clients always leave you clueless, they send you a brief that only can be understood if you were Einstein and when you ask for some clarification, they will make you feel that you’re asking for too much.
These are some of the clients that you have probably worked with, tell us which one you have met and we will be sharing with you some advice to follow when dealing with difficult clients.
