How to Manage Client Feedback
Client feedback guides the journey of a web design project. It serves as both a roadmap and a checkpoint, helping designers stay on track while ensuring client satisfaction. However, managing feedback effectively can feel overwhelming, especially when opinions differ or critiques seem unclear. From receiving and processing feedback to implementing changes with finesse, we’ll explore strategies to transform client input into fuel for creative success.
1. Ask questions
When a client shares their feedback, they’re ultimately communicating what matters to them. Dig in. To fully understand your client's concerns, ask open-ended questions that lead to descriptive answers.
When clients oppose specific executions, be curious. In situations where clients disagree with certain approaches, show interest. For instance, if a client is fixated on the homepage, inquire about the components featured on the page, other pages within the website, and any homepages from other websites they find appealing. Review the initial plan for their site and revisit the agreed-upon strategy together. Identify the underlying cause of the objection.
Keep in mind that some objections are quick fixes while others require more time and effort. Regardless, building rapport and understanding with your client will keep the project moving.
Pro tip: Receiving feedback from multiple stakeholders? Learn how to streamline the process with our advanced guide on navigating feedback.
2. Empathize
Criticism can be hard to take, even if you don't bring your ego to work. At times, pushback may make you want to resist in return. It may help to remember that you and your client are on the same side. If your client tries to make a move, meet them where they are and help them navigate. Your client may eventually come to the conclusion that you're right, but they often have to see it for themselves.
Some clients have great design sensibilities, but they hired you because you're the expert. They may not understand the graphic, typographic, or content choices you make. Moreover, people naturally oppose change. If the site you build is much more cohesive than their existing site, they may still experience unease and try to return to the previous version.
Be patient with your clients and remember they have a lot of challenges on their plate. Take a few of their changes and implement them on a duplicated page, then walk them through the pros and cons of each. Oftentimes, they'll understand why you made the choices you did. They'll appreciate you working with them and trust you more for it.
3. Focus on the problem
It's entirely possible that, after talking with your client and seeing their point of view, you're still at an impasse. There's no sense in digging in your heels and creating friction in your business relationship. At this point, it may be wise to step back, gain perspective on the problem, and give your client space to do the same.
Interpreting feedback is sometimes challenging. You can take it literally, but you also need to look beneath the surface. Most client concerns involve price, fit, competitors, and focus. If they're asking you to redo the homepage for the fourth time, it may have nothing to do with the homepage.
Ask yourself: what is the client really trying to say? Are they right? Are they objecting to design or something else? Is there an even better solution that hasn't been explored?
Pro tip: Establishing boundaries with clients at the outset can help reduce unnecessary revisions and delays when it comes to revamping pages or site elements. Having a predefined set of guidelines, such as the number of times the client can request changes, can be a valuable reference point when the workload becomes overwhelming. Learn more about setting boundaries with clients.
4. Adapt
Once you’re confident about where your client’s objection is coming from, it’s time to adapt. There are many ways to solve a problem. If you don't believe in your client's solution, stand your ground. If the objection is based on an inaccurate assumption or concern, educate them, address their concerns, and deliver on the agreed-upon strategy.
Clients don't hire consultants because they're satisfied with what they have. They hired you because they wanted something better or different. While it's possible to discount a client's perspective because they aren't design experts, they are experts on their business’s needs. More often than not, collaborating with your client ultimately yields a better product than going at it alone.
Navigating client feedback as a web designer
The client feedback loop is an essential part of your role as a web designer. By mastering the art of receiving, analyzing, and implementing client feedback, you can steer your projects toward success while fostering a stronger client relationship. Remember, feedback isn't just about making changes. It’s about understanding your clients’ needs, refining your skills, and continuously improving your craft.
*This article was originally published on January 7, 2022. It has since been updated.
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