Advice from builders that do custom work?

So, here's a question for all you builders out there that do custom work. How do you deal with clients that ask you to build a sim, then change their mind while you're offline, return the entire thing to your inventory, then asks you to build it differently? And continue to ask you to build, even while taking it down every night after you log off?

Three days in a row now, I've logged in to find my IM's capped with "objects returned to your inventory" and "We changed our mind." Even worse was their friend they brought in to "help" me (hint: knowing how to create an object and knowing how to build are two very different things- all those numbers in the objects tab MEAN something, you know. 4.987 x 5.165 x 0.899 does not make a 5 x 5 x 1 cube, and 358.76 degrees is not level...).

How many times would you put up with it? How much would you charge if you did?

Each time I accept a custom build project, the first thing done, before a single prim is rezzed, is I create a detailed concept plan, which the customer has to sign off on, and which sates precisely what the Build will consist of. If they change their mind, and return the prims already placed and accepted, they still owe half the fee for what was already built and agreed to be acceptable. If they want to substantially change the plan, we have to draft a new plan, which they must again sign off on and agree to. And there is a fee for each rework of the plan. Same goes for if they start adding new requests to a plan. The new requests get a seperately negotiated project plan, with its own fees.

Sign in an Auto Mechanic's shop:

Basic rate for auto repairs in shop : ...................$75 an hour
You want to watch? ..........................................$100 an hour
You want me to explain everything while I work? $150 an hour
You want to help? .............................................$300 an hour

Tell 'em that EVERY change they request AFTER you start work will cost them L$5k, payable at the time they make the request. Or L$50k. Or whatever you think will encourage them to think more about such things.

The biggest problem for me when doing custom stuff is that people keep tweaking the requirements.. Bad customer!! Bad!!!

Hi, I have a notecard I send the customer before the first prim is layed.In the notecard is similer to what Ceera discribed. I think She has detailed it much better than mine.
Sounds like a live and learn situation unfortunately . I would have to ask for more money or stop work comepletely till some payment was recieved for compensation.
Dont let these people play you this way. OMG my tail feathers would be standing tall!!!
Goodluck,
Dani

Well luckily they're still paying me... It's just frustrating to find my builds taken down every day when I log in.

I never start until the client and I have drawn up a proposal, describing the entire scope of work, and made the whole thing legal with a signed contract. Anything outside the scope of work requires extra fees. So they can change their mind all they like; it's their dime. But I don't recommend it.

If you've got someone who truly can't make up their mind what they want, then make it up for them. As a business owner, you are first and foremost a sales person. And as an SL content creator, you are an undisputed expert in your field. So put the two together, and sell your expertise. "You've got some good ideas, Mr. Client. Here's what I recommend we do..."

But just remember, sales is far more about listening than telling. If they're changing their mind every day, it's because you haven't yet helped them fully crystallize their vision in their own minds. Ask them as many questions as you possibly can about what they're looking to achieve with the build (it's never just a build for build's sake; there's always a purpose), how they want things to look and feel, what kind of people they're looking to appeal to, what kind of activities they're looking to host, etc. As someone with experience in SL, you know what will work and what won't, based on the answers to those questions. Make good, solid recommendations. Educate them.

If after all that, the client really is too difficult for you to handle, then don't work with them. Plenty of fish in the sea.

Heck, send them my way. I'll set them straight.


Here's a fairly detailed post I wrote just the other day, in a thread very much related to the topic of this one: /327/c9/333416/1.html#post2518370

And here are my answers to some great followup questions from one of the participants of that thread: /327/c9/333416/2.html#post2518436

Read the whole thread, though, not just my posts. There's plenty of good stuff in there from a lot of people.