Why do freelancers and customers often consider each other idiots

I was lucky: I went on both sides of the barricades and now I know what and how the customer does on projects of different levels and what the freelancer does to get or fail such a project. As a result, I am sure that 95% of freelancers speak to the customer in different languages .



Beware, butthurt.



For example, in a typical case, the performer is trying to show the quality of his work, to win at the expense of value, or otherwise to demonstrate that he is the best in his field for his reward. The customer doesn’t need the best one at all: he needs a person who will solve the problem correctly and precisely, the way he wants. And so that the first time. Without jambs. No reminders.

')

Even the incredibly tasty yesterday's pizza is not needed by anyone.

The concept of professionalism

From the point of view of the freelancer, professionalism is an incredible ability, confirmed by the portfolio. From the point of view of the customer, professionalism is a stable, repeatable, predictable result in a stable time frame. Since we are talking about business, not about ballet, each task has a clear reference to the deadline and is built into larger processes. She is not independent and not self-sufficient. It often happens that even if the solution is several times cooler than planned, but with a delay of a day, it can be simply neatly dropped into the wastebasket.



The customer ideally wants to know that:

• Everything will be on time and not a second later.
• The contractor has sufficient competence to do everything as it should (the question of the worst works in the portfolio is yes, the assessment is based on average and poor works as examples of the difference in the level with good ones).
• The contractor will think about the task, and not about the features of implementation.
• The result will not need to check (!).

The best characteristic of a freelancer that I heard from a major customer was very specific: “You call him at 11, you say you need to impose. He says - ok, at 17.25 will be ready. At 17.20 you check your mail - everything is completely ready in perfect shape there ”. The customer didn’t care how specifically the compatibility issue with browsers was resolved, how valid the document was, and so on: he had enough knowledge that the person was doing everything more or less correctly - and, most importantly, in the evening he would be able to show the website at the talks. Even if the performer suddenly becomes nosy, it will be fixed later and will not affect the project.



On the other hand, such situations are not rare: “We have two designers in mind: one is brilliant, but always breaks deadlines, and the second just does the task qualitatively and the first time: of course, we work with the second, otherwise the print run will be delayed”.

Artist selection

Freelancers (and, by the way, those who apply for a specific job or try to win a tender) have a terrible mortal sin, namely, an unwillingness to make a proposal for a task. It is worth telling the customer how the work on his project will go. Explain why it is you who are right for this particular task. Attach a portfolio that demonstrates the skills that are needed on the project (but not all at once).



Customers have another shoal - “but show your portfolio on this topic.” For example, a question like “did you do other construction sites?” Is asked either from uncertainty as a result or from a lack of understanding of the specifics of the work. It's like asking the builder with 20 years of experience how many green brick projects he has completed. No one? It's a shame, but we are looking for a performer with experience in the field of laying exactly green brick.



Another attraction when choosing a performer on the stock exchanges is to check for a robot. There is an indicator phrase - “Please, right in response to the tender, indicate the estimated deadline for execution” - 60% do not read this phrase or do not understand that you need to specify a period or at least the factors on which it depends. Most often, these are people who copied their offer.



The situation with the placement of a request on the forum and a clear request to write only on soap looks interesting. Below in the topic is often formed the so-called "idiots census."



On the other hand, I have often witnessed how even the most competent performers often do not understand what is needed from them in order to get a project. “Here I am, I will do it without any problems” - this is not even small, but just verbal garbage, spam, even if you are a super-mega-guru. In the answer, you need to immediately show that you have read the task and understood it, perhaps asking questions, showing the future work process or at least pointing to the next step from the customer in the work.

Sending job

Service, convenience and usability often end at the time of sending work. I will give an example: I somehow left without a laptop - and I got the results of the work of two designers on the way to the phone. One sent a PSD packed in RAR, and the second sent * .ai with a JPEG image next to it. Guess which option caused a desire to swear? Later, I learned that the second designer always sent the results "wrapped" in this way, because he understood a couple of things. Firstly, the JPG is immediately visible in the letter, it is easy to type it in one click and show it to the boss, and, secondly, it is worthless to do it if you screw in the automatic generation directly into the save macro.



From the writers, I regularly receive unsigned files for which it is not immediately clear, for example, what kind of product is described. From the point of view of the performer, his material is unique and inimitable, but from the point of view of the company it is one out of a thousand and requires classification.

Adjustments

There is one simple rule: if the customer accepts something, no further alterations in the already approved part .



This is what it is: suppose you have developed a website. The customer says that is normal, but you need to specify a second phone and add another block to the main one. You rule, after which he says that the design should be redone, otherwise his wife and boss do not like him. This is his cant. Normal people understand (and you as a freelancer have to warn about this somewhere) that you can only roll back from any modification to the previous accepted version, but not further. Or - additional payment for the opinion of his wife and boss.



All adjustments should be measurable and contain a specific action. For example, “add zest” is immeasurable, and “customers do not notice the search form” does not contain an action. The customer should understand that a freelancer is not a project manager, and often should not and will not solve border problems. But a good specialist on the second symptom about the form will be able to understand what's the matter. When I know that the performer is more competent than me, I describe the symptom, I propose my solution and explain that it can be safely ignored if there is a better idea. If I'm not special, I have to trust the expert.



On the part of a freelancer with adjustments, too, it is often Achtung. Here a very interesting example is given by the military: suppose you bring a document for inspection to the head. The manager makes corrections on it, and after that you have to bring the next version along with the one where he has written. The comrade military will closely look at both and will be able to compare "it was-become" without too much hemorrhoids. Failure to understand such things often results in correctors, writers and prepressors — for example, no one will read the second and third times a 20-page document unless the changes are clearly highlighted. Among other things, such a selection is elementary politeness towards the customer.

Emergencies

We are all people, and everyone has shoals. More terrible cant "delay the project" there is only one: "I delay the project and do not warn you." The freelancer can dig, can not dig - he loses only the reward and the client. The customer loses a larger project, where the task was entered. Therefore, for any misunderstanding, delay or problem, you must immediately inform the customer. And to think a step forward, something like this: “I apologize, fell ill, delay the project for 2 days. In the attachment all the materials that are currently ready, so that you can transfer them to another performer, if the deadline is critical. If the delay is valid, then I will continue to work. As an apology, I give you a 10% discount on all my services, including payment for the current project. ” The customer in such a situation will not initiate a second contact for more information: he has everything to make a decision - and, most likely, he will continue to work with you, or with high probability will return.



On the part of the customer, shoals are also common. For example, when ordering a design, I get the layout exactly according to the prototype and show the focus group to be surprised to find out that for some reason they don’t like a whole block. After research, I understand what needs to be changed, but this is clearly beyond the scope of the terms of reference. If the change is small (“the same, only red”), it usually goes in a general order. If time consuming, then negotiate for an additional fee and send an addition to the TK. In freelancing, I had this kind of experience: first, “everything is fine” - and the next day “you know, the chief and the cleaner didn’t like it, you need to redo this and this.” If a little or this is really a valuable indication is not a question. If this is clearly contrary to the previous agreement, then for an additional fee.



By the way, to avoid the situation “my boss didn’t like it”, you need to ask how the acceptance will take place. “Please clarify who else besides you will make a decision on the project” - this is a good question to indicate that you are working with an intermediary.

Conflict

If a conflict arises, then both sides are always wrong. The customer - because he incorrectly assessed the performer and inaccurately informed the task, the freelancer - because he contacted the inadequate and did not find out all the details himself.



As a freelancer, at first I sometimes got angry at completely Martian edits, but quickly calmed down and tried to think about the situation from all sides. Putting myself in the place of a customer, I understood that half of them really logically follows from his picture of the world. One has to learn from these situations: to improve professional skills, negotiation, organization (any revision is a misunderstanding when setting a task) and so on. But no negative emotions. Plus, in the future, learn to understand with whom you definitely should not work.

Timing

They still break down regularly, so the customer is better off:

1. To insure the terms with an additional “emergency” margin of 15-20% of the time. This should be enough for an urgent execution of another freelancer, if the first screwed up.
2. Choose artists who have nothing in the reviews about being late.
3. Require intermediate results. Freelancers work too often in recent days as students before a session — and intermediate checkpoints and correspondence helps to understand that everything is going well. It is important in no case to respond to intermediate vyvglaznye things, because "the fool polraboty not show."
4. Set bonuses and payment limits in case the conditions are not met or the project is completed earlier. The freelancer must be motivated to do the project on time with the carrot in front and the carrot behind.

The artist also has something to do:

1. Schedule a project application. This is really cool, both because of the deadlines and because the customer sees what you will do and how. It is very important to understand the workflow protocol from both sides.
2. Express willingness to financially guarantee the time - for example, "all on time or I will return the money."
3. Confirm every customer letter. The worst thing from him was when you got something and disappeared: it’s unclear whether you are working, getting sick, or just getting out of the project.

Acceptance as a basis

The technical task is, roughly speaking, how the performers should do the work. Among other things, it should contain a section with acceptance criteria, which become the most important in freelancing. In principle, any technical assignment in freelancing (I do not mean multi-month projects) can be reduced to the description of acceptance criteria.



To do this, you need to describe the specific procedure of how the order will be accepted. For example, enumerate tests (your layout passes validation normally), or explain what you need in measurable indicators.



When something cannot be measured, in freelancing you can either place a test task or give a schematic diagram of the product. For example, for all works on visual design, we give specific clear prototypes, including the location of each unit, its functional purpose and a description of its work. Yes, you have to do a lot of actions and spend a lot of time to create such a prototype - but you will know for sure that the performer will understand you. Yes, while you are not a designer - but you know your project better than others, and this is more important. If you are completely, very “floating”, then in any case, make such a prototype, offer it for discussion, explaining the problem.

Task acceptance

At the time of publication of the problem, the customer believes that he will be offered a solution. I will explain it on my fingers: the solution is when the customer has explained the need, and they have closed it. The solution to the problem of hanging shelves on the wall is not a drill, not a puncher, not nails or holes. This is an opportunity to put books on it.



Suppose, as often happens, the primary information after receiving the order by the contractor is not enough. Further options:

• The freelancer proceeds without question. Either he has already conducted additional research and realized that you, as a customer, need it, or, most likely, he decided that it was a conveyor and stupidly messed up. Especially I am amazed at this by writers, who almost always think that they need to write SEO-texts and without any problems figure scary meat, although in the same tender on the freelance market there is the phrase "SEO text experience is considered irreversibly traumatic to the brain."
• The second option in the order without a full TZ - the freelancer is waiting. Given that the customer often does not understand what is needed of him, instead of a strict formal TK, you get a garbage in the spirit of "yellow and that it clings." Here it is necessary that the freelancer ask all relying questions himself, forming such a task for himself. Each customer will be happy to explain everything in details if he understands that this will improve the result of the work. If he doesn’t explain, it is better to end the relationship at this stage.
• The customer himself understands that he could not bring everything and is waiting for questions. At a minimum, you need to send a brief where you can clearly record the requirements.

Another funny school in TK is the inclusion of items without understanding their essence. For example, I saw a couple of years ago tenders for Olympic sites, where there was a requirement like: “The site is equally displayed in all versions of Mozilla, Opera, Internet Explorer browsers”. Formally, this is not even magical IE 6.0, but the real mythical IE 1.0. Plus, the word "the same" also makes it wary even under the condition of work under modern browsers.

Cross services

It should be understood that the customer needs a fully completed work. For example, if we are talking about ordering a design, you need to have a layout maker who can competently implement it on the site. It’s not a fact that it will be needed, but if the client asks what to do next, you should continue the case. Knowing that you are solving a problem from beginning to end and can advise something further returns clients.

Freelancer correspondence

• Do as Amazon - a letter to any movement from the client
• After the call, send a resume on it.
• Do not need information in the spirit of "Hello, diary." Even if you really want to tell in the chat via Skype, as you have it cool or bad, refrain. First work.
• At the end of each letter, fix the next step. You must clearly indicate who is now the initiative and how it should end. For example: "Now I am waiting for approval" or "There is enough data, tomorrow I will send an option."

Customer correspondence

• When getting a job, I want to focus on the shortcomings and mistakes and leave the rest behind the scenes. In principle, it is clear - the process just consists in closing the problems found. So that your letter does not become a “funeral”, do not forget to say about the work as a whole, to mark all the positive moments that you liked or just made conscientiously. Positive all forget, although it is most important.
• Many things are better to turn into questions. For example, do not “move the button to the left”, but “It seems to me that in other forms on the site a person is used to it, that the confirmation button is always to the left: maybe it’s worth doing the same too, or you think there is a reason to leave it on place? ”There are two reasons: first, it is more constructive and more accessible for the performer. Secondly, you may be wrong and the prerequisite so to do can really exist.
• Do not teach a professional his work. You set acceptance criteria, not implementation methods. If you go to the dentist, you do not choose the tools and do not give advice - you are taking a healed tooth. If you need to teach the doctor his work - then why did you trust him with your tooth?
• If the work is done well, do not forget to review. Even if it’s not a stock exchange or special service, you can still make a thank-you letter from the company.

The professional is finally cheaper than a newbie:

1. It works faster.
2. It does not create risks that beginners simply guarantee.
3. A professional understands the problem better and has a range of solutions.
4. Most likely, he understands the background of the problem, and from the first time he will do better than you thought.
5. Behind him do not need rework.
6. Behind him does not need a thorough check.
7. He at times reduces management costs.
8. It provides a predictable result that fits well with business plans.
9. He can transfer the project to his colleagues if he is sick. Yes, he has the right connections.
10. A professional thinks about perspective and therefore does not put crutches. His work is scaled and can be transferred by other performers of the same profile.

PS Share, please, your experience, jambs and successes.