posted
Well, it may just be something in the air, but I've been getting my share of finicky customer's lately. I've probably been due. Sigh.
Here's a website we just finished ... hahahaa... or thought we finished anyways! I had a meeting with them before leaving for vacation, because they wanted to "discuss a few changes". Hah ... looks like I may be reworking alot of the site. (jeeez)
I'd been getting approvals all the way too, but this is a classic case of "too many cooks in the kitchen".
I will jump right on putting some of their changes into play ... that is, when I see a check for a portion of the work done to date.
posted
Yeah, that's really, really bad. Terrible. You actually charge for something like that? What were you thinking? Why would they want that? Maybe you should let a professional do it! Yeah, that's it. Terrible...why on earth would you design something that looks nice? Why are those panels at an angle, they are supposed to be perfectly horizontal. And how come you don't have animated gif's of dolphins jumping around? And no flaming letters, come on, you can find that effect somewhere.
Keep working on it and maybe you'll finally learn how to make it look like every other lame website out there.
YOU MUST CONFORM TO THE MASSES!
-------------------- Pat Whatley Montgomery, AL (334) 262-7446 office (334) 324-8465 cell Posts: 1306 | From: Wetumpka, AL USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Great site Nettie, it is very easy to follow, and probably the nicest of its type out there. I see a lot of them when planning vacations, and this one is premo. I would only suggest a background of some kind for the photo enlargements, but that is it. Hopefully they can send the changes by e-mail, and you can just cut a paste them. Maybe its just something that simple.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
nettie...ya just need to copy all of these responses...gently cram them down their throats and tell them their taste is in their a$$ if they don't like the site!(with a smile of course)
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
That's a beautiful site. The colors and design are perfect for the needs of the customer. It looks warm and inviting. The layout is very surfer friendly and easy to navigate.
This one of those times I look at something and say "I wish I'd done that one."
Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Nettie, Its obvious they wouldnt know a well designed website if you hit them over the head with the monitor.
That is an awesome website and you should be proud of it. I also agree with Karen, send em to this string, let them see what your peers think of your work.
Maybe then the monitor over their head might penetrate some.
That looks like a nice place to stay.
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go." Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Hi Nettie. I don't usually comment on websites as I am not into making them. And I don't mean to go against what everyone else has written. You always do excellent work! My first thought when I looked at the site was the background color distracted me. When I think of beachhouse...I think of sunsets (which you captured very well) and also water. Either a soft blue or turqoise ocean color comes to mind. Some of the text done in the Magic font on the front page seems to be going at the wrong angle. I would make them larger and go along the same angle as 'rooms & rates' 'our location' etc. I guess the sunset should be a softer hue also.
I mean this as 'in my opinion only' and very sincerely. I know how you are open for critique and am just giving my 2 cents worth..if it is even worth that much! I always enjoy seeing your work Nettie. You along with Mister Bowers and Mister Deaton are my favorite designers. Keep up the great work and let us know what the customer wanted changed. I have found that there are so many different tastes...sometimes even our most prized work goes off as 'ho hum' to our customers.
posted
I found it to be very pleasing to the eye. The only thing for me was the small lettering explaining the rooms was hard for this old timer to see. I really liked the way you raised the pictures, nice touch.
-------------------- Ed CJ Williams CJ Graffx Christiana,Pa. cjgraffx@comcast.net Just have'n fun.... Posts: 296 | From: Christiana,Pa. | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Okay, where's the synthesized music that you can't turn off, the cheap little animated gifs, and the current time & temperature???? That's usually the kind of stuff that the customer "thinks" they want. I like it just the way it is!
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1735 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
heh, I can't wait to see what 'they' have in mind.
I have this problem constantly. I work for an in-house design department for a larger company. We have so many projects where some flunky is told to get something done, they come to us and we do exactly what they are asking for, wind up doing it 5 times, and then they show it to the person it was for. Who, by the way, was thinking something totally different, so we do it a few more times... lol. very tough sometimes.
I really like the site, too. But I'm sure the 'finished' piece will be just as nice. I am a HUGE admirer of your work.
-------------------- --If you don't care where you are, you ain't lost.
Tony Potter Blind Mice and Company 3001 Bever Ave. SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 (319) 573-9001 www.blindmiceandcompany.com tonypotter@yahoo.com Posts: 209 | From: Cedar Rapids, IA | Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
I'm in the weeds here trying to catch up with work, ... and fighting a nasty cold to boot! Going to make alittle time here to respond to this thread.
A BIG THANKS for all the encouraging words. It really did brighten the skies for Dave and I on this a lot! Thanks for the feedback, it was all appreciated!
Some of the changes the client(s?) want are within reason, others are just crazy.
One of things taking the steam out of this project for us has been the attitude of this client. He has treated me somewhat condescendingly, and has tried to rush us along into "finishing up" and getting him something to look at quickly. Non-the-less, I have spoon fed his "people" everything we've done to this point, getting feedback and "go-aheads" all the way.
Now he's resistant to pay an outstanding bill on this work thus far without wanting us to invest more time into more changes first. He's trying to use money as his leverage to manipulate us. Incidentally, yes we DID get a deposit on this. whew!
We are at a bit of a standoff on this right now, but it's soon to be resolved (one way or another) once I draw up a more current contract outlining a fair agreement for both of us to continue from this point forward.
Another factor to this mess has been his tendancy to switch folks for the decision making, mid flight during this site's development, and then at the very last he brings in someone new, yet again, with a totally different outlook on it. Even after things had been okayed by others during the entire journey.
To top it all off, the client himself ... (the guy we ultimately gotta please because he signs the checks), is a major computer phobic. Like, as in "I don't do email" ... "I don't get on the internet". He's a jet setter, aimlessly busy into various things, in and out of town each week, has peons doing stuff for him left and right, and likes to have "important meetings" on EVERYTHING (I've got 4 hours worth of time on silly meetings wasted, ... er uh, invested on this already ... at his office no less!) Time I've billed for on the current outstanding bill in question.
Yes, this one's been a real challenge indeed .... not the website, but the client.
Luckily, our leverage is that we still own his site, (even his domain name) till he pays.
As for the changes, here's some of the ones that may eventually happen. The homepage photo will change to one that is more of a beach scene with some vivid blue water, and white sand. I actually like this idea. I'll move the current photo to replace the present "about us" photo. I'll then do as Cheryl suggests, and play with some blues or cooler colours for what is now a grassy moss green backdrop on the site. They were wanting me to brighten up the sunset on the header ... but I'm reluctant to put the time into doing that again, (last one was time consuming) unless I see some signs of intent to compensate. (read: money)
There are all kinds of nit-picky changes they are requesting ... copy changes, and photo changes, colour changes and sizes on text, etc. One suggestion was to make the entire back drop of the pages be a water/beach scene ... which would then change the entire look of the site. (not to mention the slowdown on the load factor!) They were wanting the script sub-titles to be a darker colour script, as the last gal to review it says ..."I'm blind, and I can't read that pale lettering". She also wanted the site to mention "treasure island" on the homepage. I told her ... "um, it's mentioned in the sub-title below the header on every page". She says, oh I can't read that, it's not loud enough! I then somewhat satisfied her by telling her that I thought some things needed to be more subtle, and that if everything was big & loud, it would all just compete for attention. Sigh.
We have already put time into some changes on this site, that were suggested by previous people who had been assigned to us earlier.
It's been somewhat of a clustermuck for us, but I'm just busy enough here with reasonable, and "paying" clients, that I'm thinking it's almost unfair to my good clients to spend too much more time battling this situation. We're prepared to walk, in good conscience, on this if it comes down to it. I'm thinking it may be more their loss than ours.
I sure do appreciate your comments! Thanks a whole bunch! Janette
posted
Nettie, Sorry for the problems in this effort. I have found that working with a committee is futile. Seldom does it not require more effort on our part. I'm to the point that I ask for a decision maker up front, explaining that it will save them extra costs in designing if they will provide one. I explain my poor experiences with committee decisions, usually ending up with a bastard product, and usually they remember having fought the same problems many times. Unfortunately, I still run up against times where I don't see the committee in the wings.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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