A good customer is the one who changed the web developer twice.

Many of us are very worried when customers leave us to competitors, and are very happy when customers are moving in the opposite direction. Those who are wiser look at this question more philosophically: let bad customers leave, and good ones come.

I propose to draw attention to the following paradox: sometimes a client with competitors behaved just in a boorish way, and by going to a new developer, he managed to build excellent relations. And the question here is not so much that someone has a higher communication ability, not at all. Just growing customer professionally. And I was born the theory of two shifts of the developer. Code name of the theory "Client3.0"

Client1.0

Narcissistic dreamer. About the web is judged only as a consumer. Considers that all sites are too standard. I am sure that he will definitely do something original, out of the ordinary, capable of shaking the entire Internet.

By creating the site refers to how to buy a car or buying a picture: he wants that he would immediately be given a fully finished working beautiful mechanism, beautiful and unique.
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Attitude towards the first developer:
“You will do everything for me, and if I do not like something, I will not pay you anything.”

Work ends on a clumsy site. The developer considers the customer stupid, the customer believes the developer is not executive. Expenditures are actually enemies.

Client2.0

While the site was being developed, the customer watched only that everything was done as he had in mind. Any objections and suggestions from the developer were completely ignored. The customer waited for him to do everything, and then everything will work by itself. But by itself did not work, and the customer begins a new job with a new developer in a new way.

Attitude to the site as a tuning machine, but with the same suggestions from the developer. Previously, the Customer believed that only he could be creative, now he wants the developer to have ideas too.

The customer evaluates his ideas more critically. Requirements for the developer more meaningful and specific. Client 2.0 learns to respect the work of a developer, but so far there is no understanding that you have to put a lot of effort into it.

Attitude towards the developer:
- If I could do websites, I would have done everything long ago. But you have to deal with you.

The work ends externally correctly, but with hidden displeasure. Reason: no feedback from the site.

Client3.0

If the customer needs a website that should really bring customers, then it matures to a new developer. Goals are set quite specific, and the implementation methods are completely trusted by the developer.

Any idea is first discussed with the developer. The word "Creative" is forgotten like a bad dream. There is a goal: to bring a client. Everything works for this goal.

Attitude to the site as a stream of information that you need to convey to site visitors.

Attitude towards the developer:
- Everyone must do their job. You understand the sites, we trust you.

The client is not a thing, it is a living being, and it develops

I developed this theory of client evolution, or the customer’s cycle in the competitive environment of web developers, on my not very rich experience. But three of my most stable and reliable customers came to me after they refused to cooperate with two competitors. The trend, however.

Now, when customers who come across a site for the first time come to me, I’m not very willing to get to work. Because I see how raw and naive their ideas about future work are. And I am very much afraid that the relationship will be ruined, but not because of my breakup, but because the client is still 1.0.

But I am very willing to take on a customer who has already felt the web. You can build relationships with him.

What to do?

1. To treat everything philosophically. A client has left you: he has such a fate.
2. Customer education: our common goal. We all, site builders and IT developers in general, must make efforts to ensure that the future client is more advanced. What would the client come to us immediately in the state of Client 3.0.

How to build communication with Client 1.0?

From piumosso, I propose the following algorithm for communicating with client 1.0:

1. First try to turn it into client 3.0. Develop his myths, convince the senselessness of bad ideas, praise him for good ideas, persuade to listen to you.

2. If you can not convince, then tell the client directly that you think his venture is bad. Agree to work only with clearly established TK. And do not forget to ask for some money to write this TK.

3. If neither the first nor the second fails, politely recommend to the customer the most evil competitor.

In fact, I think customers are people from another test?

Most customers consider us IT people to be people of this world, born with supernormal abilities, unable to understand a normal person.

So, “Normal people”, I will reveal a terrible secret to you: yes, we consider you funny animals and classify you for every convenient occasion!

Authorship

The author of the article and the picture: Vadim Galkin. When republishing this article, please refer to my personal page .