Do you have this problem? (client wrecks website)
I have completed two websites for one client this summer and he was very happy with the work I did. I charged him low $XXXX for each website which I considered to be very reasonable. I also told him that maintenance would be low $XX per hour. He was fine with that.
But a few weeks ago he emailed me and asked if I could help train one of his employees to work on the website. They already had FrontPage at the office (they wouldn't buy DW) so I reluctantly agreed to train her. All she said she would be doing is correcting spelling and grammar errors (tons of writing on the site). I taught her how to use FTP and edit them in FrontPage (yuck). But now she is adding tables, images, and wants to add videos and slideshows.
Every time she does something I have to go back and make it look pretty again. It would be so much easier for them to give me the stuff and let me put it up. Their excuse is they don’t want to wait for me, even though I am on the computer most of the day 
. I don’t think they want to pay XX an hour for my work...
Anyone else have problems with this?
I wish I could integrate a CMS into the site, but their stupid host doesn’t support databases and they won’t move over to my server.
Busy posted this at 21:39 — 9th September 2006.
He has: 6,157 posts
Joined: May 2001
I've had that a couple of times, the first time I followed after them and redid it all, that was my lesson to never do that again. The second time I just basically said it's me or them ... they went with them but a couple weeks later I got a SOS from them as they totally screwed it up. I charged them heaps to fix it (more then the original redo) and told them it's not something you can pick up in ten minutes. I've been maintaining the site now for 3 years.
Sometimes you have to let them destory it to get the message across
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demonhale posted this at 02:27 — 10th September 2006.
He has: 3,281 posts
Joined: May 2005
This is a pretty good suggestion, considering ive done it myself... I hope this story could help on the idea too, theres this IT school that was starting up and needs a site, so they contacted me and asked me to submit a proposal, I gave three options and all were affordable considering one of their staff is a friend. So anyways a week passed with no news, then the owner asked me to submit another proposal for training students and staff on web dev and design, which is much cheaper... So I obliged, gave a 3-day seminar at 2hours per day and got some $*** from them, I seminared basic stuff, and next thing I knew they started their own site, hosted in their own server as advised by their "technician/staff"... they were all out showing off their URL and dang I was quite pissed, but I thought "oh well"... 3 months passed, server quit, site offline, design feedback and usability was bashed by the students comparing another IT schools site to theirs, and said that the "other IT School" site is better by a mile than theirs.... (I learned later that they checked that other IT schools developer and designer which was me btw) contacted me and said that my proposal was approved so and so... And told them that proposal pricing has expired and added the regular tech talk and poured almost a 100% increase in pricing, they paid anyways, and now ive been maintaining their site ever since... (get this, theres a clause in the contract that Ill never mention their site as designed or developed by me, it writes developed by them, and cannot use their name or address on my portfolio, I accepted, they paid double anyways)...
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openmind posted this at 10:40 — 10th September 2006.
He has: 945 posts
Joined: Aug 2001
I deal with this in a very simple way. If the client will not use a CMS and they want FTP access I make it crystal clear to them that if I have to do any work to correct any issues caused by their editing I will charge them for it.
Unsurprisingly, most clients then go for a CMS
autoecart posted this at 22:19 — 10th September 2006.
They have: 24 posts
Joined: Sep 2006
I think they are trying to keep it in house and pay her a lower rate for the work. I would just move one to another client.
timjpriebe posted this at 13:39 — 11th September 2006.
He has: 2,664 posts
Joined: Dec 2004
I think you should absolutely be charging them for cleaning up the site after their person updates it. I wasn't sure from your post if you were doing that or not.
Tim
http://www.tandswebdesign.com
teammatt3 posted this at 14:23 — 11th September 2006.
He has: 2,101 posts
Joined: Sep 2003
I don't want to do that because this is a really key contact and I get a lot of referrals from him.
I will charge them (it's the first month this is happening), but is a little awkward because I am assuming the boss doesn't realize that when this girl does stuff to the website it turns out crappy. He might think I am just trying to get an extra buck, but it will be hard to tell him what's happening without putting down one of his workers. How do you think I should phrase it?
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Renegade posted this at 22:57 — 11th September 2006.
He has: 3,022 posts
Joined: Oct 2002
I would probably put it in such a way that all the blame is on frontpage, rather than the actual worker. Explain to him that it is likely to mess up again if he continues doing what he is doing and that he would be much better off asking you to do the updates.
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nbh1 posted this at 17:00 — 12th September 2006.
They have: 2 posts
Joined: Sep 2006
This is an interesting scenario.
Is it "don't bite the hand that feeds me" or not?
If it continues I would consider it abusive. I would in a professional and clear manner approach the boss and explain that your time is very valuable and this hinders your ability to continue on other projects. You may also consider taking screen shots of the botched up design and then followed by the corrected design so you have a case. You as a designer is a business. You may be a business of 1 but that doesn't matter. The person (boss) should understand the situation and find a solution that fits both his and your comfort zones. Otherwise there will be some point where you can't take it anymore and get upset and may act in an unprofessional manner. This you want to avoid. Of course, you know the situation best and should do what you think is best in that situation. I am just giving thoughts or ideas. Good luck on this and hope you can come to an amicable agreement.
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Busy posted this at 21:36 — 12th September 2006.
He has: 6,157 posts
Joined: May 2001
Just outlay on an invoice, something like:
updates: small price
repair: large price
After a couple of these I am sure they would get the picture
demonhale posted this at 09:03 — 14th September 2006.
He has: 3,281 posts
Joined: May 2005
good one busy, Ill definitely use that one...!
Just tell it to the client nice, simple and slow... make sure to highlight the advantages, and dont over-emphasize that having the inhouse editor is such a bad thing, emphasize however that the inhouse editor could have a much simple job without botching up the site with him paying for a transfer to a good server that supports CMS coding and port the site with CMS so its fool-proof for the inhouse editor... just a suggestion...
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andy206uk posted this at 15:00 — 16th September 2006.
He has: 1,757 posts
Joined: Jul 2002
Perhaps rather than getting them to use frontpage you should have got them to use contribute instead as it's much cheaper than dreamweaver but still allows for easy updating (plus you can lock down the editable areas to only certain parts of the page!).
Andy
My Blog
sol90 posted this at 04:12 — 5th October 2006.
He has: 7 posts
Joined: Aug 2006
Good advice, Busy!
It's really a matter of getting your clients to trust you and that you really are worth the money up front. By getting them to pay you with the original rate, they wouldn't have to cough up big money when things go haywire. Plus it's a win for the web developer in the long run (better client loyalty and less hassle dealing with the existing client).
LenBradshaw posted this at 20:47 — 24th November 2006.
He has: 36 posts
Joined: Nov 2006
I never have this problem with clients. When they ask me to train their people I simply tell them that my pay rate for training is the same as my pay rate for initially designing and developing the site as well as for maintaining it and correcting their own screwups: $XX per hour. If it involves significant travel to their location, then they also pay travel expenses. I make it clear in the beginning that it's my time and expertise that their paying for. The more they screw up, the more they pay and the more I make. Case closed.
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