I'll start with the last question first..
..do I provide native files, under what conditions and for what charge? Normally not, unless they've already paid for a logo & lost their copy, or they have become such a valuable client that I weigh the risk of losing work against the benefit of fostering good will.
Sorry, in my effort to keep the original question on point, I left out my background with this client. And I can see now that your response could very well be effected by it.
And since you were kinda enough to take the time to reply with such depth and wisdom.... maybe I can pick your brain a little more and ask... these days, is every cleint worth keeping?
Before you answer that, here's the story. Bob, Boopsie & Richard Head, the novel by gg
The cast in order of appearance:
Richard Head: the villein (hence the name)
Bob: average joe, nice guy & Boopsie hero
Boopsie: ever the damsel in distress
gg: narrator and
go-to-
gal
Probably 10 years ago I handled all the graphic work for a marketing firm, who sub contracted to my company. The first client I worked with for the marketing firm was Thing 1, a software company. They were please with the new corporate identity I created for them, and over the course of a two years, a good amount of work followed including all trade show marketing including the design of their booth.
Business was good, sub-contract work was a PITA, and represented only a small slice of the profit pie. A year later, Bob calls... he and Richard have bought out Thing 1 and want me to take over the marketing for Thing 2, same company... fresh face. I ask if they are still working with the marketing firm. Bob says they've been trying to get the last job wrapped up with the marketing firm, and won't be using them for anything else. I tell him as long as they are still working together, I'd have to pass. I liked the people with that group and while technically there was no conflict of interest, it didn't feel right to me.
Six months later Bob call, they've severed all ties with the marketing firm and the need a go-to-gal. Game on. I do tons of work for Thing 2. Bob's cool, Richard lives up to his name and is the embodiment of the phrase "i'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."
We run into payment issues on the development of a huge website deal, but get it resolved. In a frantic rush to get them off to their trade show, they ask to take care of the balance on their trade show booth invoice upon their return. I'm stuck holding the bag for several thousand. I allow them to make payments, it's take six months and several threatening reminders from me... when the final payment was received I fired them.
Two years later Bob calls, he left Thing 2 and his wifey is starting up her own company. Bob at least knows the importance of setting the ground work for success and doesn’t question my fee for the corporate identity. They pay full price for her corporate identity and a brochure. Both Bob and Boopsie are a pleasure to work with, their corporate identity wins multiple adverting awards and everyone’s happy. However, Bob and Boopsie’s are struggling financially. They move and change phone numbers frequently, each time I update her business card at no charge and send them all new PDFs for their files. Over the course of a year I make changes to the brochure, they can’t afford real printing and print the brochures themselves. Their beautiful brochures look like crap. I rework the file, remove the bleeds and adjust the layout so their home printed brochure won’t look quite as bad.
The last time I heard from them they wanted needed to update Boopsies business card again and wanted to make changes to the brochure as well. Card update free, brochure changes not free… they only had me do the cards.
So, long story (not so short) these nice folks are not going to another designer. They are not asking for the source files, they want them in something they can edit… most likely Word. Soooo not happening… not no way, not no how.
So for that reason, I felt like my options were to provide them PDFs with no content, so they could set their own text, using the PDF as a background.
I don’t really care if they do their own edits or even if they go to another designer, I’m not losing any money with these folks.
If business is bad and they can’t afford to pay, I’d be making thing more difficult if I didn’t at least give them PDF templates to work from. They paid for that work already, I won’t be supplying fonts, or any source files and it wouldn’t take much time.
I’m feeling like a bit of a sucker, they get free work from me every time they call…but I’m ever mindful…when they were willing and could afford to pay… they called me.
I do find myself emotionally vested with my most of my clients and want to see them succeed. And the nice ones who appreciate the extra effort, I go above and beyond what they pay for to make that happen for them.
I think I just answered my own question.
The only fool proof way I've been inspired to strive for has to do with full disclosure of policy before the fact…
… clarifying this at the onset is to simply remind my clients they are asking for my tools, not their property. When they hire me, they benefit from the tools I retain from past transactions. I would assure them that those tools will be here to assist them when they need my services.
And since it appears few clients pay any attention to the invoice stating “final files in PDF format.” I will head your advice…
“full disclosure of policy before the fact” and “simply remind my clients they are asking for my tools, not their property”
I’ll let you know if the story has a happy ending, after I touch base with the client.
Hopefully they’ll appreciate it and in the future, they’ll be successful and I’ll be their
go-to-
gal then.
Don’t ya just love “Happy Endings.”
