We have already gone too many times.

Nothing foreshadowed (preamble)

An intermediary (or a representative of the customer) comes in, brings a concept (almost always proudly referred to as TK) and asks to assess the scope of work in man-hours or bako-rubles. After reviewing the provided document, I estimate that the work will take about x (X) weeks and will cost approximately y (y) money. Estimated estimate, nothing more. The assessment takes into account that the TK (concept) is vague enough to clarify the functionality 5 times more than the project itself and the project itself is above the average in complexity, and not a social complex, but a hardware and software complex. interacting with third-party applications. Estimates are sent to the requester. In response, a letter comes asking for a little more detail. I go down to the level below, highlighting some of the most significant subprojects, sending. I get a wonderful answer: “You are asking so much that I will not even show it to the customer.” Somewhere near there is a smile with THERE eyes.

Two worlds, two systems

Most of the people who worked in the field of software and website building are still fed from business cards sites and small online stores. And when a customer comes to them who needs serious software, it turns out that they are not ready to not only professionally (the performer of any qualification can be found quickly enough), but even unable to realize that the site can cost more than a certain amount. It is believed that everything that is more expensive simply does not exist or contains a giant rollback. They can be understood: when you earn n thousand rubles a month, and with all your strength you tear your ass to get them, and you are told that the work will take 6 months and cost 15 * n thousand rubles, it’s hard to believe in such a reality. “If I don’t have it, then it doesn’t exist at all!” Unfortunately, our people cannot understand that they have to pay adequate money for quality work. All (or almost) all citizens so-called. PeEmy, trying to calculate on the basis of estimates of the type "2 pph-govnokoder from Abakan for 15-20 tyrov a month." For some reason, no one thinks that in addition to the amount of work and deadlines, there are also such concepts as “complexity class” and “quality”. The reality is that you can write a SOAP service, but to write it in such a way that it works and does not fail every third session is hard, for some it is not realistic at all. Many people do not understand that a specialist who works in a department can sometimes receive two, or even three times more than the head of this department, even more than General. And they do not want to understand how many examples they do not give.

It's a business baby

The main problem is that the people described above cannot move from a specialist's attitude to a businessman's attitude. Even if this is not a freelance designer, but a person who writes about himself “I have been working as an art director in large offices for 8 years, which I will not name because of natural modesty.” The art director is primarily engaged in business, even if not his own own. At the same time, it is important to understand that a business is a complex and voluminous thing, and not “buy cheaper, sell at a higher price”. From a business point of view, the client company is going to make a business tool for itself, that is, something that will bring profit (sufficient from their point of view). No matter what the size of this company. If they wanted to make a website, they would have made a business card and would have calmed down on it, but they want another. Registration, forums, specific services, etc. - is a tool for making money. And they are willing to pay for this tool, because its presence brings a direct benefit to IM. From a common point of view, it turns out that by investing n money they want to get n * ROI money profit.
In this case, I can give a metaphor, how our approach differs from the generally accepted one. There is a task - a small retail merchant (say, a market trader). He needs to transport goods from warehouse to point. Throughout the civilized world, he buys a VW Caddy (worth n (en) thousand euros, with a lifting capacity of 800 kg) and exploits it normally. In Russia, the macaw from the market takes the Volga (costing n / 2 (en in half) thousand euros, carrying capacity 490 kg with the driver) and mercilessly exploits it in an abnormal mode, as a result it breaks down, eats more and TCO goes much more expensive .
With software, site building is now the same. Thank God, companies began to emerge that understand what's what. Because in a standard situation, everyone happily agrees to an inadequate amount and inadequate timeframes, after which the deadlines break down, some co-ers do something, give what they have done, and run up joylessly. I have a friend who still patches the order system for one network, which he did 3 years ago and which still cannot go into normal operation until now. And a client with money who enters the market with a serious task according to the law of large numbers falls to the very blunt art directors, squandering money on failed projects, fidgeting and giving up on his own sound idea.
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As a summary

Lord Do not be afraid of large sums. Roll back all those who need to receive and so, and the budget will be drank. Why interfere with the development of another business? Better help him and he will help you in return.