Comments

it's a service, and it's negotiable by max

Unfortunately, clients change their mind all the time, and you must either go with the flow if you want to keep on working for them, or negotiate beforehand that you will start charging above your quoted price after the 3rd amendment!

I've had that problem when i started creating designs for a major property developer, I'd look at the brief and quote for let's say 5 hours of work...

Now with experience I look at the same brief and quote for 10! cause i know they are going to ask for a million changes!

you can view my work on www.maxguedy.com

20 Aug 2007 15:16 Reply, Report this comment

Oh the frustration! by Jeannev

I'm a business writer and I feel the pain of continuous requests for changes. Changing 1 sentence throws out the layout of my business plan (which affects reprinting costs) and 1 "small" request for financial changes sometimes changes my whole document (meaning that I have to do double the work for the same amount of commission). We've implemented the following guidelines (maybe it will help you too): the client has a right to 3 changes (be it 1 or 20 changes per "time") - IF the requests are submitted within 3 months of finishing the project and IF the changes are requested from the client's financier or other stakeholder. Thereafter they get charged an hourly rate plus printing costs. Clients that come back after 3 months get charged the full rate for every hour of our time. Of course this has not brought in much money but has saved us valuable time (time is money!) as clients now think twice before coming back to us with changes that are ridiculous more often than not. (Ps: We include the above specifications into the contract so that the client knows beforehand). Hope my comment helps.

21 Aug 2007 11:04 Reply, Report this comment

We're all at clients' mercy on this...

Yes, copywriters do realise the extent to which client changes impact on layout and therefore designers' time and effort - but often, we're just as powerless as the designer is, in the face of rampant client changes.

I can't speak for the big agencies or for financial report writers, but as a freelance copywriter and editor (ATL, BTL and TTL), I include ONE SET of free copy changes in every job, with the stipulation that they are 'reasonable'. Any additional changes will be charged for, but often at a negotiable hourly rate (not always my standard rate).

And all this before the job is sent to layout... / www.tiffanymarkman.co.za

21 Aug 2007 11:48 Reply, Report this comment

Never - the customer (me) pays your salary by CLIENTS VIEW

In my exeperience 'copy ammends' are often the result of type set errors or the person doing the layout disregarding previous ammends.
Sometimes the copy needs to be changed at the last minute for operational reasons and a sucessful client camiagn will usually result in more business for the agency at a future date....

sorry but that's the way the cookie crumbles...

21 Aug 2007 15:49 Reply, Report this comment

You may pay our salaries.. .but please.

sort out your spelling! There is nothing worse than a client that cant spell and insists on making copy amends - how can we take you seriously!

27 Aug 2007 14:52 Reply, Report this comment

Spell by Robo

I hope that it is not you who is the copy writer.

Realize? Come on, stop using a yankee spell checker. We speak English here.

22 Aug 2007 10:51 Reply, Report this comment

You stop making changes at the same time you give in your notice by Old ad fart who gets it

It is very simple. When you realise that you are being jeked around too much, you say, I don't want to do this. The next question is of course, how am I going to pay the bills, eat, drink, drive my car etc. It's a trade off. It is only advertising. Nobody dies for goodness sakes. Understand the difference between wants and needs and then you will be cool.

31 Aug 2007 15:00 Reply, Report this comment

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