5 red flags that can signify a bad client

Many of us have experienced bad clients while working as designers or developers; deadbeat clients that won’t pay up, clients that seem to vanish completely, and clients that are just flat out rude.

I’ve written a list of 5 red flags to keep an eye out for before taking on potential clients. Any of these red flags could signify a bad client, which could lead to the project being a complete nightmare, and you may not even ever get paid for it. I’m also going to describe some measures you can take to help prevent that from happening.

Payment in equity

This kind of offer has been made to me so many times. A company comes along needing a website, and offers you equity instead of a standard payment. Your first thought might be that it’s a pretty cool idea because that can mean a lot of income for you, right? Well, no. It’s obvious that this offer is made only by clients with no money. If they’re unable to raise capital for their own company, they’re not making the necessary investments for success, which means you may never make a penny from them. So unless a potential client provides proof that they’re making real money (which is pretty rare), you should forget about these offers.

The vanishing act

When you’re discussing things with a potential client about their needs, be sure to keep an eye on their communication. Are they fast to respond emails? Do they answer their phones regularly? Are they willing to meet face to face? Are they handing over their full contact details? If the answer is more often no than yes, then taking on such a client can be risky. Sometimes, clients can vanish all together. If their communication is bad in the first place, it can be because they’re in talk with other designers/developers, or because they’re simply not sure about the project yet. When a client does a vanishing act, it can be a huge waste of your time.

Insane deadlines

Many potential clients will have unrealistic explanations of deadlines. I happen to write content as well as design websites, and there was a time where someone wanted me to write a hundred articles for them in just a few days. It was beyond unrealistic. Some people don’t stop to think about how long certain jobs really take. When a client comes to you with an unrealistic deadline, tell them how long the job will realistically take to complete, and don’t be afraid to inform them that you have current work to finish if that’s the case. You shouldn’t have to put other projects aside just because someone is rushing you. If a potential client won’t compromise, you should highly consider rejecting them.

Unclear needs

You’d be surprised how many potential clients simply aren’t sure about what they even want. Sometimes it’s as if they’re leaving their own business decisions in your hands, despite the fact you’re just there to build them a website for their business. Basically, if someone is not entirely sure about what their own needs are, you should not take them on as a client. The high amount of changes they are likely to request as the project goes on will mean constant revision of what they owe, and deadline extensions, yet the client may still expect only the original price and original deadline. Inform such potential clients that they should first have concrete knowledge of what their needs are.

Designing for services

It’s not uncommon for a business to offer their services as a form of payment. But how valuable is their service, and more importantly, is it something you even need? In most cases, I’m betting not. Personally I don’t feel I need to spend time creating a website for a business that is just going to give me a 12 month subscription for their online accounting software, or a set of free eBooks on how I can apparently double my business profits. Such businesses are trying to get something for nothing. When I was a teenager, I made simple websites in return for things like web hosting with domains. But when you grow up and have rent to pay, making money is way cooler.

As a means of your own security…

Keep an eye open for any of the above red flags when you’re in the process of taking on new clients. You could end up saving yourself a lot of hassle. Anyhow, there are some measures you can and should take in order to prevent clients from pretty much screwing you over.

First of all, a legal contract should be put in place if possible. This does involve talking to a lawyer and it can be costly, and I understand that it might not be suitable for lower budget projects.

In any case, especially if there is no contract in place, take some form of upfront payment from your client, otherwise they can vanish half way through or even take your work and not pay. Taking 30-50% upfront is often acceptable.

Also, make sure you have your client’s full contact details, including e-mail, contact numbers, and address. With such details, in the worst-case scenario, you’ll be able to go banging on your client’s door.