No offense meant to clients because we architects and designers are taught to treat clients well. And it is stated in the Code of Ethics to protect our clients’ interest. Every professional have to. But in reality, many experienced clients taking advantage of them. Of course, we still recognize good and honest clients.
Great that I’ve found this site as an additional information to my previous post. Read on
15 Ways to Protect Yourselves from Big Bad Clients. As summarized, these are the things we ought to do:
BEFORE BEGINNING:
1. State Policies. A clients may not know (most of them) our polocies and how we do things in order. Let us explain to them.
2. Meet in person. Of course, it is a need to discuss projects face-to-face.
3. Check their references. Not bad if you ask them, too. It’s a way of knowing them also.
4. Put everything in writing. In professional practice, we have to do that – black and white. So they don’t blame us, we don’t blame them.
WHEN CHARGING:
5. Charge for outcome, not hours. We always do. It’s in our professional practice bible. So it’s either we charge in percentage or per square meter.
6. Get a fairly sized deposit. We have our terms of payment – we all have to. In every stage of the projects – planning, scheme, design phase, construction phase.
7. Set up a payment schedule. Schedule will be agreed by both parties.
DURING SERVICE:
8. Only accept small changes without charging. Could be negotiable.
9. Give yourself enough time. Be honest in meeting deadlines. It’s better than having a not-so-good output.
10. Have deadlines for them too. Why not? We give them our service, time and talent. They have to give what a client should.
11. Learn to say no. Yes, true. It’s ethical; at least we are honest.
WRAPPING UP EVERYTHING:
12. Be in control of your work. Intellectual property comes in. Whatever our work is – we own it.
13. Have a Post Service Agreement. It must be clear to the client our services after the project and how far could we give our services. It’s better to let them understand early.
14. Have a clause of late payment interest. Whatever is stated in your contract, do follow them.
15. Double check everything. It’s better to be sure than sorry.
So we have to protect ourselves and credibility.
Filed under: Architects' How-tos
WHILE IT MAY BE TRUE THAT THERE EXIST A NOT SO DESIRABLE CLIENT, THERE SIMPLY IS A DIPLOMATIC AND PROFESSIONAL WAY TO DEAL WITH THEM. DOING BUSINESS NOW A DAYS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PRACTICE OF THE PAST. WHILE SOME IN YOUR LIST MAY WORK, SOME MAY NOT. ARCHITECTS, TOO, HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF BILLING CLIENTS LIKE BILLS BASE ON COMPLETE SERVICE AND BASE ON CONSULTANCY WORK. SOME FIND HOURLY RATE MORE FAVORABLE TO THE ARCHITECT RATHER THAN THE PERCENTAGE. CLIENTS TOO TODAY ARE MORE DEMANDING AND DISCERNING. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR A CLEAR AND CONCISE AGREEMENT AND SMOOTH FLOW OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARTIES. BEAR IN MIND THAT THERE ARE FEW WAYS T O GET A COMMISSION AND ONE OF THIS IS THRU THE WORD OF THE MOUTH. IF YOU ARE NOT THAT FLEXIBLE
AND IS THAT HARD WITH A CLIENT, BELIEVE YOU ME THAT NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE OUTCOME IS, THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU WILL GIVE WILL LEAVE WILL BE A LASTING ONE AND MAY HURT YOUR PRACTICE. REMEMBER, ITS YOUR WORD AGAINST THEM. THERE ARE BASICALLY 5 THINGS AN ARCHITECTS WOULD NEED TO REMEMBER. THE WORLD IS CHANGING AND GLOBALIZATION HAVE RESULTED IN NEW WAYS OF DOING TRADE AND BUSINESS AND THIS HAVE ITS ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGES. WITH THE ADVENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TOO, A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION ARE AVAILABLE THAT EMPOWERED CLIENTS. SO REALLY THE PRACTICE OF ARCHITECTURE NOW FACE A MORE CHALLENGING
TIME.