In relation to Mr X's incident which I posted last week, things decided to evolve another twist.
I had enough of Mr X's "7-11" style callings and I really want to close this project and forget everything, but yet, he pulled another stunt once again!
Mr X approached my company for website design and a web development solution. Seriously, since day 1 when the talks about the project began, I hated him to the core because he is an arrogant, self centred, ego-ed liar. ( Why I classified him so many names can make out another post.)
He approached us, saying he wanted a ticketing system linked to an e-commerce shop where potential customers can browse and submit tickets as enquiries about the services Mr X's company is providing. We mentioned to them before we signed the deal that we would only provide 1 set of administrative username and password.
about 2 weeks later,
Mr X decided to ask if the web development was done. We replied that it was ready as according to the requirements. We thought we could happily closed the deal, but the events turned very stupid and nasty.
Mr X's Boss: What's the ticketing system for?
Web Design Singapore: To issue tickets Ma'am
Mr X's Boss: We can't do anything with the tickets! What for we need a ticketing solution?
(thats okay, we explained politely for a while)
Mr X's Boss to Mr X: I thought our requirements for the e-commerce solution was to have mutiple accounts for different instructors to view their own course students and schedules?
Mr X: Yea, I TOLD them SO! They said alright.
Web Design Singapore: (What The FUCK?!!!) No, Mr X! Look you signed and agreed with us that you will be given 1 set of administrative username and password.
Mr X: You didn't warn me in the first place! Now you are saying that I signed and agreed the contract willingly.
Web Design Singapore: NO Mr X! Our sales team had explained clearly to you what you will get for a $300 solution and you agreed and signed! If you want those functions, pay us $30,000 and we'll shut up and do everything like what you requested, plus we we do extra requirements if you want!
Mr X's Boss was extremely quiet all the time, but she was going to erupt anytime.
Mr X: We don't have that kind of money!
Web Design Singapore: Then don't ask so much for your requirements! You agreed and signed the contract peacefully, acknowledging all the materials, deliverables, knowing that your $300 can do so much only.
Mr X's Boss: We'll contact you for the revised requirements again..
The meeting ended but it was a grueling 1 hour 30 minutes session!
I'm fed up! So are the sales team!
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3 comments:
Web development, like software development in general, is fraught with all these sort of problems. It sounds like you have a difficult customer. I have personally encountered such absurdity like:
DevTeam: Ok, here is our almost-to-complete product, ready for UAT.
User: Erm, where is function X?
DevTeam: What function X? Never been mentioned before?
User: What do you mean you didn't know? Function X is like 20% of the whole system, it is very critical, if it is not there, then there is no point having the system!
DevTeam: But we went through all the requirements gathering, and this requirement was never mentioned!
User: Then why didn't you ask!
DevTeam: How to ask when we didn't know it exists in the first place?!
Maybe its time to stop accepting jobs that you know clients will be unhappy with at the end of the day- even though they are the ones who asked for the requirements.
We usually will tell them that if we do it at the cut-throat price that they want it at, no one leaves the table happy at the end of the day. They don't get something that really services their need, and we can barely cover our costs, making it something we really don't want to work on.
So if they want it at that price- don't accept the job. It may seem like a bad move, especially if cash flow is tight, but it makes the best business sense, because really neither party can win in these cases.
Life is short- let others have these $300 jobs.
Agree, this $300 job is really not worth it. The amount of time spent in meeting and explaining unnecessary things to the client.
This is what we call pai tan (hard to earn money) in hokkien.
Sigh!
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