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My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

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Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#121

Post by fixxer »

chops wrote: post #44

This is something I actually offer to my clients, and I do it for fun. I guess I was inspired by watching some of Notch's screencaps over a few days. So I capture it with RecordMyDesktop (I run xubuntu), and run through an ffmpeg script ( https://github.com/choptastic/watchmecode ) that resizes the video to be the same length as an MP3, and makes an X minute screencap montage for the client. Then it produces somethin…

As you point out, I think it is one thing to offer and another to ask... the former is part of a marketing strategy.

I would do it, but there would be a fee for the hassle and my legal expenses.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#122

Post by Avenger42 »

jroseattle wrote: post #102

As absurd as this situation was, it really doesn't surprise me in the least. Having been an independent consultant for several years, I've had some client requests that were real humdingers. My favorite of all-time (I'm paraphrasing, but this was a real conversation): Client: We would like a fixed-price bid on this project. Me: Well, let's talk about your project. What's the scope? Client: We're working on a list, wh…

What's the polite way to tell them "there's not a chance I, or any other reasonable person, would consider this request" and keep the door open to future work? Or is it not worth keeping that door open?

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#124

Post by forgottenpaswrd »

As a past software manager of a elite team(of super smart people, engineers, phDs) and developer myself: Never do that, say NO.

Don't try to justify it. Don't lose your time with this person, don't lose emotional energy.

It is one thing to be efficient, another to "look efficient". You can be not efficient but look like you are or the contrary, specially when your client don't have a clue in software.

The reason this customer wants the video is to go against you, as you said, he already does not trust you.

When you do, he is going to go and say: look, you are not working 80% of the time, so I am paying you 20%. Probably he already have plans for doing that.

He probably does not have the money, or the organization changed plans and don't need the software as much as when the agreement was done and wants to backpedal with any excuse.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#126

Post by rhizome »

j_s wrote: post #80
passerinelabs wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Watching Notch's Ludum Dare videos inspired me to create my first OS X app store app. It takes screenshots at a configurable interval and than creates H.264 encoded video of the resultant timelapse. Here it is: http://appstore.com/mac/ScreenshotTimelapse Here are 25 promo codes if anyone wants to try it out: http://pastebin.com/K6Xx59jY

See also: http://www.timesnapper.com/ for Windows (Classic version 'free forever'; doesn't seem to support stitching all the images together to export a video but should be do-able manually.)

FFMPEG is the key, here: http://superuser.com/questions/343955/converting-images-to-v...

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#127

Post by jiggy2011 »

jroseattle wrote: post #102

As absurd as this situation was, it really doesn't surprise me in the least. Having been an independent consultant for several years, I've had some client requests that were real humdingers. My favorite of all-time (I'm paraphrasing, but this was a real conversation): Client: We would like a fixed-price bid on this project. Me: Well, let's talk about your project. What's the scope? Client: We're working on a list, wh…

Was this on a freelancing marketplace website by any chance?

I see a lot of tenders on these for fixed price projects with stuff like "winning bidder will receive NDA and project description".

So the seller is expected to bid a fixed price before they know what work needs to be done?

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#128

Post by aghast »

Avenger42 wrote: post #122
jroseattle wrote: post #102

As absurd as this situation was, it really doesn't surprise me in the least. Having been an independent consultant for several years, I've had some client requests that were real humdingers. My favorite of all-time (I'm paraphrasing, but this was a real conversation): Client: We would like a fixed-price bid on this project. Me: Well, let's talk about your project. What's the scope? Client: We're working on a list, wh…

What's the polite way to tell them "there's not a chance I, or any other reasonable person, would consider this request" and keep the door open to future work? Or is it not worth keeping that door open?

If they're dumb enough to make that request, I bet they're dumb enough to be swindled themselves. I think you could have a lot of fun with that conversation, if you're quick with your wit. It might even be profitable, if they'll stupidly agree to something silly in a legally binding manner.

Like: "Hmmm... I dunno... Well, okay. I'll charge you $5,000 to for my consultation on assembling the list. But I have to charge you a fee for each subsequent amendment to list. Once you've paid for my consultation on the list, then we can talk about the actual cost of the work itself, and whether you want to pay me to actually do anything."

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#129

Post by slantyyz »

Silhouette wrote: post #115
Devilboy wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the client is 'not worth it' you're just not charging enough. Just work out what your price is and send them a new quote. Don't ever fire a client, that's just silly. Make the client say no.

If the client is 'not worth it' you're just not charging enough. Some things aren't worth doing, at any price. Compromising my professional standards is one example. Working with a client who doesn't trust me to do my job properly is another. This sounds like an example of both.

And don't forget that the simple act of having to communicate with a difficult prospect/client alone can be endlessly frustrating.

Sometimes it's better to just save yourself the headache of having to deal with a person any further than you already have.

Re: My customer wants me to record a video of how I develop his software product

#130

Post by geon »

carbocation wrote: post #41
PerryCox wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These kind of quotes from a customer should be instant red flags that they are not someone you want to work for. Devilboy does have a good bit of advice about charging an outrageous amount, but it's important to pick your battles. Sometimes no amount of money in the world is worth the headache that a customer like this could cause.

There is always some amount of money that is worth the trouble. Now, it may be some amount of money that cannot be paid by any entity aside from governments, Exxon, Apple, and a few others, but it is some amount of money nonetheless.

> There is always some amount of money

BS.

Happiness as a function of wealth is not a linear curve. After the first few millions, a hundred millions or a billion isn't that a big deal.

Therefore, if the price to justify some headache or discomfort is above a million or so, just getting rid of the headache is more valuable.

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