In all the time ive worked in design and web design industry, there have been times where projects have often drifted from the original project specification as clients have asked to introduce extra features, functionality into a project.

 

Id be interested in how you guys handle this situation.

 

Is it a case of 'give and inch, they will take a mile' or is it matter of being strict, yet may mean the loss of a client?

 

Cheers!

I write a spec that the customer has to fully agree to at the beginning of the project. I always offer additional contingency time as part of the spec. If the customer wants any changes to the spec that will take longer than the remaining contingency then I indicate what it will cost and how much it will delay project completion.

 

With loyal/larger project customers I tend to be more relaxed. I find most customers I have worked with are happy to accept an additional agreed hourly rate for changes to the spec. Also I have found that if the customer wants radical changes they are normally unaware of the time it will take to implement them, I just tell them the cost and let them decide if they want to go ahead or not. At the end of the day, if they are paying for the additional work and accept it will delay the project then all is well.

I think you have to draw a line somewhere when clients start pushing it beyond the original agreement. "Going the extra mile", especially with a new client, is always worth the effort though!

 

Personally I tend to look at what's being requested and say up front that there will be an additional cost for that "extra feature". Occasionally, if the client is spending a lot of money, I may work the extra feature in within the budget - it really depends on what wants doing