')
Are long distance relationships between developers and clients good or bad?
Before Bryan and I started working together I spent a lot of time on Craigslist trying to find development and design work. Why not earn a little extra cash on the side…a little spending money for the weekend…right? Right. Well, I have had positive and negative experiences with Craigslist. I keep referring to Craigslist but it doesn’t matter what outlet you use to find work, or someone to do your work. If you’re not careful you could end up in a very sticky and uncomfortable situation. While looking for work on Craigslist I quickly realized that there were three types of clients:
Three Types of Clients
- Those who want you to report to their home or office
- Those who want you to report to their home or office once or twice per week
- Those who don’t care where you’re located and don’t care if they ever meet you
I, of course, was most interested client #3…those who did not care about my location. Their only concern was cost, time-frame, and quality. As a developer this was the perfect fit. I could work from anywhere and according to my schedule. I found myself a little resentful towards client #1 and #2. I felt as if they were missing out on affordable and quality work because they were limiting themselves based on a developer’s location. Then, I sat back and tried to place myself in their shoes. Am I okay with working with someone that is located in a different city state? Different state? My answer to that question was yes and no.
There is a perception that if you work with someone that is not local you are more likely to be taken advantage of. For example, you may never get paid; you may pay someone, receive a junky product, and then never be able to reach them again. Unfortunately I have been on the losing end of both scenarios. As a matter of fact, let me vent for a second.
I had one guy who advertised the need for a Wordpress theme. I contacted the individual and was given a set of specs as to what the client wanted. That is an important key to remember. The client gave me the specs. So, I developed a Wordpress theme based solely on the specs I received. Do you know what the client’s response was? Here it is…
That is trash. I could have done that myself. You didn’t build anything like what was in your portfolio. You didn’t do what you said you were going to do. I’m not paying you for this. Good bye!
- Client
Oh man was I upset! I quickly learned I was given a fake name, a bad website address, and of course received no payment. As you can see I have experienced first-hand the tragedy of long-distance relationships. However, don’t be discouraged, or skeptical. Long-distance relationships do work and will continue to work. In fact, working with people not local to you will become more and more prominent.
The world is getting smaller (not literally of course). The capability of communicating with people from all over the world has become an expectation rather than a privilege. We expect to be able to communicate with anyone we want at anytime we want. This goes for personal and business needs. Therefore, now is the time to embrace the thought of working with someone not local to you. You don’t have to experience the same misfortune I experienced. There are two very practical steps that will allow you to establish effective and successful long-distance business relationships.
#1 Review
You should always do your homework regardless of the size and budget of the project. You, the client, should review the potential developer’s online portfolio and references. This doesn’t mean take a quick peak and move on. Review their portfolio and contact their references. Pay attention to the details when you look at their portfolio. Ask about the technology and coding they have used and are familiar with. The goal is to try and weed out the developers who think they are God’s gift to web design and development. You know who I’m talking about…the developers that say “no problem” or “oh yeah, I can do that” to everything. You want to find a developer that understands your needs and knows how to apply their strengths to your project.
#2 Prevent
When conducting business there will be occasional friction. This is inevitable. In other words, someone is going to try and rip off someone else. It’s sad but its reality. You must have a plan in place to protect you in the event someone attempts to be deceptive. Typically this is handled with a written agreement of some kind.
Make your developer sign-off on the work they will be performing as well as the payment schedule. For example, you (the client) will agree to pay 50% upfront and the remaining 50% after completion as long as the solution is delivered as agreed upon. As a developer, this is just as important to us as it is you. We want to be sure that if we do what you’ve asked for we will be compensated for it. Don’t take any chances. Prevent any possibility of problems.
So there you have it. Don’t be afraid to work with someone that is not local to you. Most of our clients are people we have never met in person and may never meet. There is nothing to fear as long as you implement these two practical steps. In fact, if you want to test this theory out, just use us for your next project!
