YEARS IN THE MAKING

Exclusively for net: The latest in a series of anonymous accounts of nightmare clients

I worked for a design agency about ten years ago. My predecessor built two complete websites for a client – neither of which had gone into use or were ever paid for – but the client was a big shot in the industry and got away with it.

I changed jobs to another agency, which got a call to build a website for this same client. I told my boss about the two websites that never saw the light of day at my previous employer and warned her to get paid upfront.

I went to the client’s offices to discuss the brief – it would be a rather large undertaking. Client: Don’t worry about the content. I’ve actually already collated all the content into a mock website to give you an indication of what you’re looking for.

At this point, he showed me a demo model of one of the sites that were built at my previous boss’s agency! Me: (feigning ignorance) Wow. Did you put that together yourself? Client: (beaming with pride) Yes.