In 2016, Route1Print, the UK’s fastest growing trade printer asked our founder and lead graphic designer Quentin James to contribute to their “50 Tips from Designers, to Designers” eBook. In 2017, they once again asked Quentin for a contribution for their brand new FREE Graphic Design eBook titled: “The Design Comedy – How To Deal With 9 Types Of Hellish Clients“.
This new eBook contains anecdotes and advice from practicing graphic designers and creative business owners/managers, on how to deal with and manage awkward customers and difficult situations. With nearly twenty years experience in the graphic design industry, we were delighted to be asked to contribute to another of Route1Print’s excellent FREE eBooks.
With nearly twenty years experience in the graphic design industry, we were delighted to be asked to contribute to another of Route1Print’s excellent FREE eBooks.
Despite virtually all of our clients being a dream to work with, there have been a couple of rare occasions where things haven’t gone smoothly, as Quentin explains: “We get along really well with all of our clients – that’s why we have such a high client retention rate. Occasionally we’ll get a new business enquiry that doesn’t stack up, or a client will ask for something extra that they believe they’re entitled to, and that’s where the ‘client – designer’ relationship can become strained.”
The new Route1Print eBook is now available to download for FREE and features two of our anecdotes of ‘hellish clients’:
I was once asked to quote for the design of a monthly local business advertising directory. The kind of A5 glossy publication that appears through your letterbox from time to time advertising local businesses, tradesmen and services. It wasn’t a project I was interested in and I soon found a good reason to decline their offer to quote for the job.
Me: Thanks for the opportunity to quote for your project but I’ll have to decline the invitation on this occasion.
Client: Why?
Me: Well I’ve looked at your rate card then worked out how much the job will cost to print and guesstimated your
delivery costs.
Client: And?
Me: Well, even if you sell all the advertising space at full price, the print alone will cost way more than the revenue you generate.
Client: So?
Me: Well, if each edition runs at a loss, how are you going to be able to afford to pay me?…..
“I don’t release editable artwork files to clients, unless agreed before a project commences, as I consider these files to be my intellectual property. So when a restauranteur client, whose menu was due to be updated asked for the InDesign files for their menu I politely refused.
They got quite angry and demanded the files “that they’d paid for”. I explained that they’d paid for their menu to be designed, printed and delivered and nothing more. I stood firm and replied by asking them for the exact recipe and cooking instructions for their house speciality. Their response: “No way!” I qualified my request: “But I paid for the meal in your restaurant a few weeks ago, why won’t you give me the recipe so I can cook it at home?”
Sadly, the comparison was lost on them. Needless to say, we no longer work for this client.”
The Route1Print FREE Graphic Design eBook provides practical tips which graphic designers can utilise in the running of their own design studios, as well as anecdotes which clearly outline strategies to deal with awkward ‘client – designer’ situations.
"If you need design work that's going to actually help produce sales, he's the man!"
Jon Price
"Quentin is quick to understand a brief and always delivers outstanding work on time and on budget."
James Brockbank
"His right-first-time approach saves valuable time on every project and he backs his design work with excellent advice."
Jane Hunt
"A pleasure to work with and we will be using Quentin James Design again."
James Conlon
"The finished article was excellent and perfectly balanced for the audience involved."
Greg Clementson
"He interpreted my rather vague brief with speed, quality and an intuitive sense about what I needed."
Georgia Parker
"Having had the initial discussion Q came back with various options and from there on in through regular discussions he produced a website design that I'm proud of."
John Ashton
"I would highly recommend Quentin James Design if you are looking for a partner for your business."
Elizabeth Downing