How To Manage Client Feedback
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What’s the scariest part of working on a project? For a lot of designers, they’ll say it’s the feedback part. And honestly, it can be crazy. Most often, we see memes like this:
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These are just a few responses you can get at the feedback stage. It can get really wild. But how can you successfully manage client feedback so that you can create your best work, while also doing what the client is proud of? How do you deal with the whole situation so the project can be successful and end on a friendly note? I had the privileged of leading a design conversation on Saturday, Oct 22nd with Victor Fatanmi and this was the topic. Here are some of the core realizations we made.
You see, client feedback is inescapable. While most designers started doing what they do as a hobby for themselves, we need to realize that when we’re working for clients; they have everything right to give input on how the work should be created. We need to understand that we’re trying to solve their problem. And it is said that “it is he who wears the shoe, that knows where it pinches”. Isn’t it? It’s their problem, so they also know when we’re getting close to a solution. So this mindset shift is very necessary. It’s not your work only. It’s not art where you craft your beautiful painting and the client takes it just like that. They need to give input on what is comfortable for them.
Once you’ve had this realization, you start to look at working with your clients as a partnership. The project is not your work only. You’re creating something with the client. So instead of looking at the client as a hindrance standing in the way of your work, look at him as a team member with whom you’re working towards the same goals. Victor Fatanmi likened this to Merlin’s relationship with King Arthur. While you do most of the work and the thinking, the client is a partner and the hero of the story. So, his input is not something you should tolerate. If you look at your client's feedback as something you need to tolerate, then it’s only a matter of time before you get fed up. Instead, the client's input is something you should seek, accommodate, and address.
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Now, your clients are not design experts and they are not trained on how to give design feedback properly, so you should not expect every feedback they give to be holistically thought out and properly articulated. So when they give vague feedback or ones you disagree with, you need to be able to diplomatically handle the situation. One thing you should remember is that because the client is the one paying for the work, they definitely need to feel like they have at least some control over the work. So you need to be very diplomatic with feedback. One core thing Victor mentioned is that the client can’t request three changes and you rule all three out. It’ll most definitely freak the client out. So, don’t fight the client, instead, try to better understand his perspective. Ask some more questions to better understand why he’s requesting those changes. Remember, you are teammates.
You might wonder, what if the client requests endless changes and can’t seem to make up his mind? Or what if the client realizes he needs something added to the project and tries to scope creep? What are you going to do then? Well, while you try to help your client as much as you can, you need to look out for yourself. You need to get paid to help your client. If revisions seem endless, you may choose to charge the client for additional rounds of revision. If they want to expand the work, then charge for the added scope. You can talk about these things up front before you even take on the project.
Client feedback is inescapable in a project. Designers need to adjust their mindset to understand this, put their ego and need for total control aside and work with their clients to produce the best work. Its teamwork and communication make it that. Do you have added thought to this? Let’s talk some more about it in the comments. Share this if it was helpful to you.
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