Have you had problems with multiple website designers in the past? If so, the problem may not be the web designers that you are working with. The problem may be your approach to working with designers, or even the way you approach the project as a whole. By taking the time to understand the basics of web design, you are doing yourself, and your designer a favor. Through experience, we have learned that people who run through several designers but do not have the website they are looking for, are usually to blame themselves. Because of this, we decided to address a very popular question; what makes a bad web design customer?

As a potential web design customer, your business is valued by designers, especially since their livelihood depends on it. However, there are some things you can do to make them reconsider taking on your contract, or even cause them to terminate your contract. Here are some practices that may land you on their regret list.

• Expecting more work than you actually paid for.
• Having unrealistic turn around time expectations.
• Putting in requests at the last minute that are always urgent.
• Asking your designer to create a look alike website.
• Attempting to explain to your web designer how to be a designer.
• Approving a design and then changing your entire concept.
• Acting as though your designer is a replaceable employee with an average skill.
• Trying to negotiate a payment that is drastically lower than the initial quote.
• Sending images that you would like to have included in your website via fax.

In order to be satisfied with any web design service, you must first know what you are looking for. You must be able to explain it your thoughts clearly and you must provide feedback about designs that is clear about any changes that you would like to have made. Web design is a very time consuming process and is not an easy skill to master. Because of this, you should show your web designer the proper respect that they deserve and have earned by developing their irreplaceable skill.

Remember, web designers want to ensure that their clients are satisfied with the work provided. In order to preform their job, you must know, or have a good idea of what you are looking for.

Here are some things that you can do to ensure that you do not end up on your web designer’s list of regrets.

• Take the time to understand design prices, what is included in the price and what to expect from your designer.
• Read the Terms and Conditions of your designer’s services.
• Provide via email any images, logos and content that will be incorporated into the design.
• Ensure that you set aside a convenient, scheduled time to work with your designer. This will ensure that you are both on the
  same page.
• Answer your designer’s questions in a timely manner. This helps them to complete your design on schedule and may even motivate them to throw in a little extra work at a discount rate, or even free of charge.
• Be pleasant and polite. This will not only ensure that your job is completed in a timely manner, but will also ensure that your designer will work with you again in the future.

Now that you know what makes a bad client, where would you classify yourself? By changing your approach to web design, you are benefiting yourself, your website, your business and your long-term income. It will also ensure that your designer provides design services at an affordable rate in the future, rather than asking for a higher rate because working with you is unbearable.