Is it Really the Client’s Fault?

The client-vendor relationship is very interesting. Both the client and the vendor want the same thing (or should, anyway), and yet there’s an inherent tension due to the client thinking they know how to write or design or whatever better than the writer or designer or whomever. To balance that out, the writer or designer or whomever thinks he or she knows more about the company than the client.

So, exhilarating tension arises. Usually, a simple compromise or conversation gets both parties on board and brilliant work is created. However, as someone who interacts with a lot of creative people, I find a lot of people spend more time complaining about how incompetent their clients are rather than talking about, well, anything else.

All creative people have similar stories about clients, and all clients have similar stories about creative people.

Often, complaints are legitimate. Even more often, they’re temporary and born of frustration due to poor communication between the creative person and the client.

Stories vs. Complaints

I’m not suggesting people should stop complaining. Sometimes, things are so hilarious and absurd they must be relayed to others. These are called stories and can entertain the young and the old (unless they require a huge back story, in which case your audience is bored before you get to the entertaining part). But, if you’re the professional designer who constantly talks about your clients—each client, each project—ruining your masterpieces, one has to ask: is it really the client’s fault?

The most talented people in the world (in all aspects) make mistakes, get frustrated and have quarrels. It’s perfectly understandable for anyone at any time to be in the midst of one of these scenarios.

But every time? How is it possible you find nothing but terrible clients? I have some theories. Two I’ll detail here: either you’re bending to every whim and truly resent yourself for letting the clients walk over you, or you’re the difficult one.

If every one of your clients (who pay for you to eat and live, by the way) is that much of a nuisance, and if you’re unwilling to question yourself as to your role in the dissent, perhaps you should find another line of work.