Who are my clients?

So late last night, I got a question on Twitter referencing a section on my portfolio site, Code By Monkey, this section in particular.

Who are my clients?
I work with freelancers and agencies, where the main goal is producing a great website. Concept, user experience, design, interactions and build all being well thought out.

I like topics like this, so I thought I’d expand on it a bit and go over why I chose to work with my clients. Here goes…

Back in the day

When I first dabbled in freelancing a couple years ago, I was working directly for clients, and clients that generally had no idea how the web worked. Not their fault at all, but that’s how it went for me. I think most people start freelancing like this, just taking any work that was offered to you, proving you had the skill to actually do it.

One of the things I realised very early is that I really dislike working directly for clients. I can understand why some people do though, some people like the challenge of fixing a clients problems. I just prefer to be given things to do and write code.

These days

Over the years, I’ve picked up many tips on freelancing and refined what I wanted to do. One of those things was just work for agencies or other freelancers, so I’m never dealing with the client. Whoever hires me gets to deal with the client, chase for payments, deliberate over various ideas, yada yada yada. All I do it get sent PSD and technical specifications to approve (for technical possibility) and do it. That said, I usually offer some kind of improvement like a more initiative way of interacting with something.

This way, I really have the easy life. If the end client is late paying bill, it’s not my problem as it’s the job of whoever hires me to may me when I finish my end of the bargain. Typically, people can afford to hire me have the kind of money I quote laying around anyway, so I never get delays or late payments. It also means I can schedule time much more tightly, as I know when I’m going to be done without needing to wait for client feedback & stuff.

So a combination of me charging £40 p/h and being somewhat lazy has resulted in me having a permanently solid schedule and little worries as far as payments and feedback loops is concerned.

Of course I do get feedback from whoever hires me, but that’s mostly minor things I may have missed or misunderstood. Any changes after the client has seen it is scheduled in separately.

The good life, for me.