Freelance Clients: Understanding Their Types and Traits
- Andrew Flop
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
As a freelance consultant, I've had my fair share of clients who have left an indelible mark on my psyche. Some have been absolute angels, while others have made me wonder if they were secretly spawned from the darkest alleys of bureaucratic red tape. In this article, I'll introduce you to some of the most common client types I've encountered, along with their quirks and characteristics.
The Easy Goer
These clients are a dream come true... at first. They give you complete freedom to choose your tools, set your schedules, and work at your own pace. But beware: they often wake up late in the project, when the budget is spent, and except for some hastily prepared wireframes, not much has happened. You'll be left wondering if they ever had a plan in the first place.
Spotting tip: Look for clients who are overly optimistic about timelines and budgets, without providing clear direction or milestones.
The Wehrmacht Client Type
These clients are control freaks extraordinaire. They micromanage every minute of your time, scrutinize every line of code, and dictate exactly how things should be done – their way, of course. But what's more, they'll also micromanage PRs, focus on code quality to an unhealthy extent, and demand perfection in every detail. You may disagree on many approaches and methodologies they implement, but you soon learn to shut up. Once they think you give no benefit to them, they throw you out. There is no "binding" unless you are the 100% obedient Wehrmacht officer.
Projects with these stereotypes are cumbersome, they require all your attention and give no slack time. Take 'em if you are desperate. Or a person with a weak character / your spine was surgically removed - helps your motivation a lot.
Spotting tip: Watch out for clients who ask for hourly reports, want to review every commit, or have an unreasonably high standard for code quality that bring nothing to the value of the end result.
The Maintenance Maven
These clients are only interested in maintaining a platform, with no new features or minor tweaks at best. They're not looking to innovate or take risks; they just want to keep the status quo. You'll be tasked with keeping the lights on, but don't expect any excitement or challenges. These projects are relaxed and hand out a generous "License To Invoice" for the greedy freelancer.
Spotting tip: Identify clients who only talk about bug fixes, performance optimization, and minor updates, without mentioning new features or growth plans.
The Velocity Vigilante
These clients need someone to improve their team's abysmal velocity, to be an example of how things can be done more efficiently. You'll be tasked with showing them the ropes, streamlining processes, and helping them deliver faster and better. Be prepared to lead by example, as they're counting on you to whip their team into shape. In reality, just blend in with the crowd. Perform 20% better, that is enough. Lift your teams's velocity slightly. If you don't have any bonus scheme attached to the velocity (perception), then why bother? The higher the team's velocity, the more likely you get to find a new contract after the current expires.
Spotting tip: Look for clients who are desperate to boost their team's productivity, but lack the expertise or resources to make it happen. In the interviews, they often talk about the scrum/Kanban board, methodology, motivation, dealing with difficult people.
The Visionary
These clients are endless talkers, stuck in a cycle of repeating the same ideas and concepts ad nauseam. They'll dominate meetings with their pet projects, and team members will try to stay quiet, avoiding specific questions that might trigger another lengthy explanation. Sometimes, they even get emotional, cry, and make the whole room uncomfortable.
I've noticed that if you're nice to the female variations of this client type and support them in their endeavors, the gratitude will be paid back at the next company party – often with an extra-large serving of praise or a rather intimate proposal.
The Ghosting Freelance Clients
These clients are the worst kind of ghost – they agree on all details with the consultants, but then disappear without a trace. It becomes apparent that they never received approval for the project budget, leaving you high and dry.
Spotting tip: Be cautious of clients who are overly enthusiastic about the project, but seem evasive or unclear about their internal processes and budget approvals.
