Solved: Re: Client not satisfying with my Designs

iamabdurrahman · ‎09-23-2019

Client Not satisfying with my designs. There is no good feedback to catch my client's expectations. I almost did 9 Logo Concepts but still not satisfying with my designs. I don't like to give a refund because I spend a lot of time and my creativity in it. What should I do?

jodypm · ‎09-23-2019

Hi Abdur,

I believe that a logo designer should establish early in their Scope of Work how many concepts and revisions they'll provide. A quick look at the job that I think you're referencing shows that it's a fixed-price contract. So, you definitely need to have a number set at the beginning. You've already provided nine (9) which is quite a large number, but I'm guessing as I don't know how you set your rates.

I suggest that you persist in speaking with the client by chat or phone about why they are not satisfied. Part of design and development (or any service) is damage control, and oftentimes nothing can comfort a client more than a direct and personable phone conversation where you listen to their opinions thoroughly. If a phone conversation is not an option, write a very well thought out message and propose how you could go about with a resolution and be sure to mention that you, as a freelance designer, simply can't offer unlimited revisions. In the message, ask specific questions.

I also feel that before you even got close to nine concepts, you would have been better off showing a few at a time to get a better hold on a design direction.

In the end, if noting that you do works, and you feel you've given all that you can, I recommend weighing the pros and cons of a refund against a fight over the money and feedback. Your profile is at 94% JSS now, I do not know the exact algorithm to determine how much lower you JSS will eventually fall, but is the amount the client paid worth it? A lower JSS can block you from future clients and thereby be more expensive in the future than a simple refund now.

Next time, be absolutely sure to set your concept number and revision rounds from the onset.

I hope you reach an amicable solution with your client and wish you all the best in your continued success as a freelance logo designer.

Best regards,

Jody PM

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jodypm · ‎09-23-2019

Hi Abdur,

I believe that a logo designer should establish early in their Scope of Work how many concepts and revisions they'll provide. A quick look at the job that I think you're referencing shows that it's a fixed-price contract. So, you definitely need to have a number set at the beginning. You've already provided nine (9) which is quite a large number, but I'm guessing as I don't know how you set your rates.

I suggest that you persist in speaking with the client by chat or phone about why they are not satisfied. Part of design and development (or any service) is damage control, and oftentimes nothing can comfort a client more than a direct and personable phone conversation where you listen to their opinions thoroughly. If a phone conversation is not an option, write a very well thought out message and propose how you could go about with a resolution and be sure to mention that you, as a freelance designer, simply can't offer unlimited revisions. In the message, ask specific questions.

I also feel that before you even got close to nine concepts, you would have been better off showing a few at a time to get a better hold on a design direction.

In the end, if noting that you do works, and you feel you've given all that you can, I recommend weighing the pros and cons of a refund against a fight over the money and feedback. Your profile is at 94% JSS now, I do not know the exact algorithm to determine how much lower you JSS will eventually fall, but is the amount the client paid worth it? A lower JSS can block you from future clients and thereby be more expensive in the future than a simple refund now.

Next time, be absolutely sure to set your concept number and revision rounds from the onset.

I hope you reach an amicable solution with your client and wish you all the best in your continued success as a freelance logo designer.

Best regards,

Jody PM

kat303 · ‎09-23-2019

Jody P wrote:
Hi Abdur,

In the end, if noting that you do works, and you feel you've given all that you can, I recommend weighing the pros and cons of a refund against a fight over the money and feedback. Your profile is at 94% JSS now, I do not know the exact algorithm to determine how much lower you JSS will eventually fall, but is the amount the client paid worth it? A lower JSS can block you from future clients and thereby be more expensive in the future than a simple refund now.

--------------

At this point there is no "pros" on giving a refund. If the OP gives a refund, which I recommend he NOT do, then his JSS will take a hit because that job will be counted as a job without payment and any job without payment affects a freelancers JSS.

Is fighting for your payment, the time the OP put into this, and the effort that was taken woth it? IMO (if the work was of good quality) then yes, fight for it. At this point his JSS is going to take a hit either with negative feedback, or as a job with no payment. Might as well get paid for the time and effort the OP put in.

The OP must take charge of this now. He needs to tell the client that the scope of work has far exceeded what was called for on the contract. He needs the client to close this job and open a new HOURLY contract and once that's done, he'll be more then happy to do as many revisions as the client needs.

If the client refuses and asks for more revisions, the OP needs to start a dispute and take it to arbitration if needed.

robin_hyman · ‎09-23-2019

Abdur R wrote:
Client Not satisfying with my designs. There is no good feedback to catch my client's expectations. I almost did 9 Logo Concepts but still not satisfying with my designs. I don't like to give a refund because I spend a lot of time and my creativity in it. What should I do?

Did the client request a refund? If so, you could:

1) Give him a refund which I strongly suggest you do NOT do. You've spent time and effort creating 9 options already so you should be paid for your work.

2) In the nicest way possible repeat that you've given him 9 designs already and feel he will never be satisfied with your work. It is best to part ways and for him to find another freelancer. Note: if you don't swing this to be positive you'll be dinged in your feedback so you must be careful.

Sometimes the client-freelancer relationship isn't a good fit. That is OK. He can find still find someone who will be a good fit.

Remember, it's all in the delivery. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

prestonhunter · ‎09-23-2019

Abdur:

You have no way of knowing whether or not the client is satisfied with your designs.

You can not read the client's mind.

You should say: "The client is claiming that she is not satisfied with my designs."

As you have learned, it is a mistake to let a client ask us to work on a fixed-price contract on and on without any end in sight. As other people have suggested, you should think about this before you set up a fixed-price contract, and have language in the agreement that limits how many times a client may ask for revisions.

I would even be clear that after a certain number of revision requests (for example: 2), the client will be required to set up an hourly contract for any further work.

A fixed-price contract IS NOT INTENDED TO FORCE YOU TO WORK FOREVER for a client.

Art is subjective. If a client hires you to create artistic work (for example: a logo), then she should PAY YOU for the work that you provide her with. If she doesn't like the end result, then that is okay. She should pay you anyway. She is NOT REQUIRED to use the work. But she still needs to pay you for it. Maybe she needs to hire other designers to create other logos, until she finds somebody whose style she likes best.

But a client should not be able to get endless versions of a logo for free just because she claims that she isn't satisified.

prestonhunter · ‎09-23-2019

A client should know that she can ASK FOR UNLIMITED NUMBERS OF REVISIONS...

...if she is using an hourly contract.

...But that if it is a fixed-price contract, there is a SPECIFIC task you will do, to provide a specific deliverable... and she can NOT ask you to continue spending your time on the task.

iamabdurrahman · ‎09-23-2019

Thank you so much for the Fantastic Solutions. 🙂