How to check the customer "for lice"

When performing various orders, I personally and many of my friends
faced with the question - how to start work to determine that after the execution of the order, everyone will be satisfied?

Having been personally on both sides of the barricades, and considering freelancing, namely, short work, and not custom development (there is a very fuzzy line, I agree), we can distinguish the following points and actions that require the freelancer to know the basics of project management:


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- try to search customer history and information about it in the internet
you might be surprised

- look at your competitors
if you offer much worse than them conditions - why you? if you do not know - ask the customer :)

- the contract does not mean that you will receive a reward for the work.
they should be read and understood what is written there, so if you are proposing a contract, consult your lawyer, if you are being offered it, all the more. no lawyer? consider your risks

- the customer does not have TZ at all or has it in an indecent form (a couple of paragraphs, some incomprehensibility for you)
ask for clarification. Generally speaking, freelancing should describe the task as much as possible. no questions on your part should arise.

- the customer says “let's first make a prototype, and then we'll see”
you better find out from the very beginning what will be “and there” and in what volume, at least approximately

- the customer has no deadlines or does not speak about the budget (or at least the plug)
it is worth taking a closer look - as a rule, this is a sign that there will be further problems either with deadlines or with money, the customer does not know how to evaluate the work

- the customer says “it is necessary yesterday”
To be honest, I stopped taking on such work at all.

- do not specify the way out of the project
does not apply to everything, but it is worth it to actually stipulate, that is - what will happen if the customer does not accept the design or is dissatisfied with the functionality

- the customer says "yes everything is clear"
This means that the task is clear only to God and no one else, including the customer.

- the customer does not give his coordinates or forgets about you
No comments. This happens in less critical options, for example, the customer does not control you during the project. this can turn into a misunderstanding at the end, so show yourself what you have done and approve the work with the customer. he will be pleased too :)

additions in the comments of course welcome