Just venting...

[Colin]

I'm sorry but there is nothing more insulting to me as a designer with over thirty years in the business, than having a total stranger with no background in design, second guessing my years of knowledge and experience. Especially when their background is in another industry.

What these all-too-common scenarios boil down to is a lack of humility and respect on the part of the customer. For some strange reason there's a massive empty chair (aka driver's seat) waiting for them to plant themselves into, and start dictating what the sign should look like.

To the O/P, ask her to visit one of the many font websites and choose one. (She may then have an appreciation for what she's up against after spending a few hours looking at them).

 

[Locals Find!]

This really needs to be said. It sad that I am the one that has to point this out.

BlueFish you laid out a decent design with no input from the client. Great, looks ok. Now, your client comes back to you and basically says to you I am just not feeling its right. (They hate it!) The client tries to give you the input they didn't in the beginning "I want something Regal looking (re·gal/ˈrēgəl/Adjective: Of, resembling, or fit for a monarch, esp. in being magnificent or dignified.) and I would like a darker shade of blue.

The client is trying to give you some guidance as to what they are looking for and relying on you the professional to try to guide them to that point. The client doesn't know fonts and admits to this. Yet, your belittling the client for not being a designer.

Your the professional its your job to take the request of "Regal" and a darker shade of blue and turn it into something magnificent. Not theirs, if they could do it themselves what the Hell are they paying you for.

 

[SignManiac]

No offense signmaniac, but SHE is the client. Give her what she wants (as she is the client, paying for it) and move on to another job.

This attitude that the client is always right, so just take the money and run, is the reason there are so many trashy signs polluting the landscapes of America. I will never concede to selling garbage designs for a quick buck. The day that becomes necessary I will find a new line of work.

 

[Gino]

This attitude that the client is always right, so just take the money and run, is the reason there are so many trashy signs polluting the landscapes of America. I will never concede to selling garbage designs for a quick buck. The day that becomes necessary I will find a new line of work.

Ya know, coming from most people, this scenario would sound like a nightmare about to take place. Having seen your work of 'before & afters' and all of your other work.... I have every bit of faith in you, your idea of a bad project is just about everyone else's dream sign.

You have the distinct ability to make lemonade out of hand grenades. :U Rock:
​

I have no fear in seeing this piece when it's finished.

 

[genericname]

I'm sorry but there is nothing more insulting to me as a designer with over thirty years in the business, than having a total stranger with no background in design, second guessing my years of knowledge and experience. Especially when their background is in another industry.

I'm working on an expensive carved sign for a client right now, who after I explained quite clearly, why what they wanted violated very known design principles, and after their weekend family discussion, insisted I do it wrong as they requested. So, I will accommodate their request, which I do very rarely.

Pretty much everyone you deal with will have no background in design. They know this, but the more ballsy among them, who are also generally insecure about their ignorance, try to seem a little knowledgeable by pulling terms out of their rears. Some of these people even think it's helpful. Your response is usually the right one; try to educate the client about proper design and layout. That's not what took place in this instance though, and I'm not sure it should even apply.

He did well with little information. She did not "second guess" him, just tried to steer the design in a direction more akin to her interests. She didn't have the language available to be able to communicate her ideas fully, and admitted so. It's our job to deal with those types of people, give them a visual solution to a problem they are having, and take their money. That is not so difficult.

Edit: By the way, I definitely do not adhere to the "customer is always right" mentality, and the above has nothing to do with it. It's our job to provide the best solution possible, and educate the client on why it works, not just give them what they want because we can't be bothered.

 

[Circleville Signs]

This really needs to be said. It sad that I am the one that has to point this out.

BlueFish you laid out a decent design with no input from the client. Great, looks ok. Now, your client comes back to you and basically says to you I am just not feeling its right. (They hate it!) The client tries to give you the input they didn't in the beginning "I want something Regal looking (re·gal/ˈrēgəl/Adjective: Of, resembling, or fit for a monarch, esp. in being magnificent or dignified.) and I would like a darker shade of blue.

The client is trying to give you some guidance as to what they are looking for and relying on you the professional to try to guide them to that point. The client doesn't know fonts and admits to this. Yet, your belittling the client for not being a designer.

Your the professional its your job to take the request of "Regal" and a darker shade of blue and turn it into something magnificent. Not theirs, if they could do it themselves what the Hell are they paying you for.

You're an idiot.

No one has belittled the client for not being a designer. They have belittled the client because she is the personification of every single "terrible" client that we all have had. She has no idea what she wants. She can't articulate in any reasonable fashion what she wants. When you provide her with something that actually FITS what she has very poorly communicated to you, she says she wants something regal. Like a script. Ummm....Disconnect.

I will make as many changes as a client wants to make, providing that they are willing to pay me $65/hr, billed in 1 hour increments, and are willing to put a retainer on the line. Otherwise, I'm not their effing mouse operator. It is NOT my job to "give them what they want". It is my job to give them what they NEED and what will DO THE JOB for them.

There's a reason that they come to me - because I know stuff that they don't know.

When you go to the doctor, do YOU diagnose yourself and then tell the doctor what prescription to write?

 

[GoodPeopleFlags]

I sent this to her yesterday afternoon and she approved it. All is well!

 

[Colin]

You're an idiot.

YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Someone who said "you're" instead of "your".

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[genericname]

I sent this to her yesterday afternoon and she approved it. All is well!

Looks good! Happy all went well.

 

[SignManiac]

you're an idiot.

No one has belittled the client for not being a designer. They have belittled the client because she is the personification of every single "terrible" client that we all have had. She has no idea what she wants. She can't articulate in any reasonable fashion what she wants. When you provide her with something that actually fits what she has very poorly communicated to you, she says she wants something regal. Like a script. Ummm....disconnect.

I will make as many changes as a client wants to make, providing that they are willing to pay me $65/hr, billed in 1 hour increments, and are willing to put a retainer on the line. Otherwise, i'm not their effing mouse operator. It is not my job to "give them what they want". It is my job to give them what they need and what will do the job for them.

There's a reason that they come to me - because i know stuff that they don't know.

When you go to the doctor, do you diagnose yourself and then tell the doctor what prescription to write?

amen!

 

[Flame]

No offense signmaniac, but SHE is the client. Give her what she wants (as she is the client, paying for it) and move on to another job.

That isn't being a designer, that's being a mouse clicker. I hate being a mouse clicker....

 

[Colin]

...

 

[LSSigns]

I'm sorry if it was implied that you should be a mouse clicker. That isn't quite what I was saying. I meant more along the lines of, she wants something "regal", give her a few examples of that. She likes script? Give her a few examples. Try to work WITH her, instead of totally against her. YOU are the designer, but explain to her how to make it look better, while keeping in mind what she wants. Just my opinion. Instead of being so frustrated with her stupid requests, try your best to meet her halfway, and show her how her ideas can be made into something worthy of your design time.

 

[Marlene]

I sent this to her yesterday afternoon and she approved it. All is well!

it looks like once you got some info pulled from her you were able to put together a sign that meets her needs.

your first layout was fine considering the info you had. it sounds like she did her best to give you the "feeling" she wanted the sign to give to those who read it once the info started to flow. I agree that the customer doesn't know crap and isn't a designer but they do know their business and what it is about. it's the job of the designer to take that info and use their skills to design a sign that works. looks like you were able to do that.

 

[signmeup]

YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Someone who said "you're" instead of "your".

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

"Your an idiot." is just totally classic.