Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (Full Version)

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Nicole -> Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 1:56:11)

<dummy spit>

It may seem as if I’m being taken for a ride by a client, but I’m just not sure it’s intentional, either way, I can see a classic case of scope creep evolving.

I’m nearing the completion of a large 700+ page site redesign, my target date is this Thursday and I’ve been working extremely long hours (6am – 10pm average, are they long hours?) for the past 3 weeks now in an endeavour to meet this target date. Nearing the completion of the site I’ve encountered a few problems in the structure/design, not technical problems but just missing content or other concerns that I need decisions from the client for. I didn’t initially realise it would be this way, but it makes sense that the last few days to a week will always be the most troublesome and the times I’m likely to need the client to make some firm decisions before I can complete the job. (Is this usual with large jobs? I mean, any other problem along the way up until now hasn’t been as urgent as I’ve had plenty of other work to do on the site while I’m waiting for a decision).

I emailed the client yesterday to ask for these decisions to be made, there was no response so I called her this morning to discover she’s on a week’s holiday. That’s fine, the client can now wait another week for the job to be finalised, but it’s what I’ve been advised by one of her staff members that bothers me.

This staff member told me that some of the information on the old site is outdated, and has since been amended, didn’t her boss/my client tell me that? No she didn’t!

So I’ve already created these pages and meticulously reformatted the text for probably about 20 – 30 pages that may need to be totally redone. Last week I discovered an error in my code that was totally my fault, trouble was it had been copied throughout the entire site, so I spent a day and a half fixing this error across 700 pages. My fault so I pay for it! But what about this new drama?

Of course I should point out to her that it’s going to take about 1 to 2 days to redo these pages, and therefore they should pay for that. But now for a bit of Nicole naivety.

I decided early on to offer a free month maintenance upon site completion to my clients, something I’m now regretting. All my client has to say to me is put the old information online, the work I’ve already done, then change it to the new information as part of the free months maintenance!

I’m trapped!

I need a definition of the words “website maintenance” quickly!

Yours in web design

Nicole

</dummy spit>



erinatkins -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 8:33:59)

Nicole,

To be honest since you have been told that some of the text is outdated, I would email the client & let them know the text changes will be charged at x per hour since you were not given the correct information.

I would consider free maintenance small changes - typos, etc.. - not 20 - 30 page that need to be redone.

However I would not agree to free maintenance on sites. I will tell clients small changes might not get changed but if it takes over x amount of time you will bill them.

Good luck
Erin



jaybee -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 10:50:15)

Try incorporating something like this into your contract

26. Client Amends
The Developer prides itself in providing superior customer service. That is the spirit of our agreement and the spirit of the Developer's business. To that end, we encourage input from the Client during the design process. The Developer understands, however, that Clients may request significant design changes to pages that have already been built to the Client's specification. To that end, please note that our agreement does not include a provision for "significant page modification" or creation of additional pages in excess of our agreed maximum. If significant page modification is requested after a page has been built to the Client's specification, we must count it as an additional page.

Some examples of significant page modification at the request of the Client include:

 Developing a new table or layer structure to accommodate a substantial redesign at the Client's request.
 Recreating or significantly modifying the company logo graphic at the Client's request.
 Replacing more than 75% of the text to any given page at the Client's request.
 Creating a new navigation structure or changing the link graphics at the Author's request.
 Significantly reconfiguring the Client's shopping cart with new product, shipping or discount calculation if an e-commerce enabled site has been selected by the Client.

Clients who anticipate frequently changing the look of their site during the design process and who desire to be intricately involved design of each page are encouraged to negotiate a flexible agreement. If significant page modification is requested by the Client after the agreed maximum has been reached the charge will be £75 for each additional page. Moderate changes, however, will always be covered during our development of the site and also covered by our one month of free maintenance.

Again, we strive to accommodate the needs of each Client and we maintain a liberal redesign policy. We can not, however, provide major redevelopment services in excess of the page maximum contemplated by this agreement.

27. Maintenance Agreements
Maintenance Agreements are negotiated on a Client by Client basis, as each will have differing needs. This is another way the Developer seeks to help the Client control cost. If you have chosen a Maintenance Agreement the terms of such will be listed as Appendix B to this agreement.

The Developer offers two kinds of maintenance agreements.
• The Client pays a fixed monthly rate for such things as changing price to an item, adding additional inventory, moderate graphic changes, and co-ordinating delivery of the web site with the Host Provider.
• The Client pays on an 'as needed' hourly basis.

28. Third Party or Client Page Modification
Some Clients will desire to independently edit or update their web pages after completion of the site as a way to control costs and avoid the expense of a Maintenance Agreement. If the Client desires this capability, it will be specifically listed in Appendix B.

If this option is selected and the Client, or an agent of the Client other than the Developer, attempts to update the web site and:
• damages the design
• impairs the ability of the web pages to display properly
• impairs the ability of the web pages to function properly
time to repair the web pages will be assessed at an hourly rate of £75. There is a one-hour minimum. In this regard, Clients are encouraged to obtain a Maintenance Agreement.



erinatkins -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 12:46:43)

Very nice Jaybee



rdouglass -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 13:49:24)

My $.02

In my projects, my definition of "free maintenance" is to ensure code compatibility and not to ensure up-to-date content. Everything else outside the initial agreement needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis.

It's very easy to build an analogy from other trades. Consider a builder:

If he uses substandard roof shingles and they blow off, discolor, or leak it should be the builders expense. If the client want's a different style or color of shingle now instead of the one that was agreed upon, that should be a client expense.

If my code doesn't run on a similar platform it should be up to me to fix it. If my client now wants new copy or colors (unless alterations are agreed upon) it's all extra.

There are many analogies you can use but all of them should say 1 thing: "My time is NOT free." Anything outside the initial proposal should need reconsideration.[;)]

Unfortunately that put's us all in the position of needing to be good proposal writers, doesn't it?[:(] And of course, too much fine print may drive some customers away (but then you may not want those anyways[;)].)

</$.02>



dpf -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 13:53:24)

quote:

I decided early on to offer a free month maintenance upon site completion to my clients, something I’m now regretting. All my client has to say to me is put the old information online, the work I’ve already done, then change it to the new information as part of the free months maintenance!

I’m trapped!
IMHO, yes you are - so swllow hard and learn your lesson. the good news is this is the large project you were looking for to build your porfolio so keeping them happy is important. one thing tho, dont let this be part of the deadline - it is "maintnence" - finish the project with what you werre given then start the meter on the free month. good luck



Nicole -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 17:00:39)

This is Spooky, no it's not it's Nicole, but it's really spooky. lol

Jaybee, you've just quoted from my own contract, obviously one taken from online, but in mine, Client Amends is point 18. There's also the point about Significant Page Modification too, but really i just want this job to be finished without any conflict.

Thanks everyone for responding, i've done the sums and 18 pages will have to be recoded, just the content part as this site includes a lot of includes.

I'd never thought of starting the free maintenance part from tomorrow thus giving them a shortened month. The other thing is, the staff member sent me the updated information, telling me it'd been checked by her boss/my client and last night while updating one or two of the pages, i noticed a massive mistake in something she sent me. If i had ot previously worked at the organisation i wouldn't have picked up the error, any other web designer would've just given this client what they asked for, even if that information was wrong.

I've only ever wanted to work with one person in this organisation, unfortunately my client transfers me to different staff members to discuss different things. So when she returns from holidays i think i'll insist on only ever dealing with and taking instructions from her.

Longshot, but how liable would i be designing a website that i knew from personal or past experience to be out of date or incorect?

Nicole



jaybee -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 17:16:22)

quote:

you've just quoted from my own contract


Ummm actually, didn't I send you a copy of mine ages ago? I know I've sent it to a few people on here.

So if that's in the contract then you're covered.

They did sign the contract?



jaybee -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 17:24:46)

quote:

how liable would i be


Keep copies of all correspondance, get everything in writing or send an email confirming your understanding of the requirements when changes are asked for.

If you do what your client tells you, and you can prove they told you, then no way you're liable.

Luckily I had the request for the Maroon/Blue/Maroon site in writing. [:D]



Nicole -> RE: Never Offer FREE Maintenance! (4/19/2005 17:41:17)

That's even spookier, I just went to have a shower and was coming back to write a post about record keeping.

My fiance, being in the legal area, encouraged me from day one to keep every email sent to or by me, and to make notes in meetings or about any telephone conversation if they are reasonably important. So i've done that with my emails and also keep a phone record of date/time/person/phone number/subject and if it's an important call or if there's a decision made in that conversation, i make a file note and link it to the spreadsheet with the phone calls on it.

It is a very tedious thing to do and save (i do it weekly), but it could get me out of this trouble and has also already helped us in a fight with our real estate agent over alleged rental arrears. If I hadn't have kept a record of every letter and phone call with them, we'd probably have been turfed out of our apartment by now, but the issue seems to have been resolved because i did.

Nicole



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