Do The Thing With The Thing

A client is going over a design with me.

Client: “Oh it’s really really close, but there’s just one thing missing.”

Me: “Alright, tell me.”

Client: “Remember that one thing I said six months ago? Make it look like that.”

Me: “Do you remember?”

Client: “Actually, no, but make it look like that. You need to remember everything I’ve ever said, ever. Make it do that thing. Make it do that.”

Me: “About 80% of the time you change your mind and actually admit it and tell me so I don’t bill you. That’s why we have these meetings. You actually have said that before too.”

Client: “This one thing was an exception. Total exception. Super important.”

Me: “The thing you said six months ago?”

Client: “Yes.”

Me: “The thing that you yourself can’t remember.”

Client: “Yes. But I remember the long and short of what I said. Do it like that. Super super important.”

Me: “Sure, I’ll get right on that.”

Client: “You had better, I’m not paying unless that thing I said six months ago is done exactly how I said it.”

I carefully don’t bring this up for a few days and do nothing. They pay the invoice, and the project is complete.

Client: “Good, thanks, and it looks like you did that thing I said six months ago! Like I tell everyone here you are good overall, but sometimes we have to be firm with you and you’ll do what we ask. Thanks again.”

Yeah sure, you tell them that.