Am I scamming my clients?

[Tuvo Apps]

Two years ago I read Fox's thread about web design, and decided to stick to that model.

I got my first 5 clients in the first month via Facebook groups, but the money wasn't great.

In 2019 I found my niche, and during one client meeting, I discovered a need in that niche that could be solved with a software.

I had no idea how to create the solution, but I said I could do it, closed the deal for $5K and took the first deposit.

Then I realized that there already is a program the client described to me, and it's called Trello.

So I built them an advanced Trello board with custom functions, and kind of tried to explain that to them.

I found another company with the same problem, took another 5K, and created another Trello board for them, with slightly different functions.

There is only one problem...

I feel terrible. I hate doing this.

I hate going to client meetings and saying "yes" to solutions I don't know how to create.

I hate the feeling that this could go bad once they realize that I mostly didn't code anything.

But I brought them the solution, the value, so it doesn't matter if I coded it or not, right?

I don't know. What do you think, would you do this?

 

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[Kevin88660]

Two years ago I read Fox's thread about web design, and decided to stick to that model.

I got my first 5 clients in the first month via Facebook groups, but the money wasn't great.

In 2019 I found my niche, and during one client meeting, I discovered a need in that niche that could be solved with a software.

I had no idea how to create the solution, but I said I could do it, closed the deal for $5K and took the first deposit.

Then I realized that there already is a program the client described to me, and it's called Trello.

So I built them an advanced Trello board with custom functions, and kind of tried to explain that to them.

I found another company with the same problem, took another 5K, and created another Trello board for them, with slightly different functions.

There is only one problem...

I feel terrible. I hate doing this.

I hate going to client meetings and saying "yes" to solutions I don't know how to create.

I hate the feeling that this could go bad once they realize that I mostly didn't code anything.

But I brought them the solution, the value, so it doesn't matter if I coded it or not, right?

I don't know. What do you think, would you do this?

For me absolutely no.

if I am your client all I care is my problem got solved. It doesn’t matter who coded it.

You basically “stole” a recipe.

It is more about the original coder of trello having an issue with you, if we were to talk about ethics. The cancer patient doesn’t care if your drug had a patent infringement as long as he or she gets cured.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Two years ago I read Fox's thread about web design, and decided to stick to that model.

I got my first 5 clients in the first month via Facebook groups, but the money wasn't great.

In 2019 I found my niche, and during one client meeting, I discovered a need in that niche that could be solved with a software.

I had no idea how to create the solution, but I said I could do it, closed the deal for $5K and took the first deposit.

Then I realized that there already is a program the client described to me, and it's called Trello.

So I built them an advanced Trello board with custom functions, and kind of tried to explain that to them.

I found another company with the same problem, took another 5K, and created another Trello board for them, with slightly different functions.

There is only one problem...

I feel terrible. I hate doing this.

I hate going to client meetings and saying "yes" to solutions I don't know how to create.

I hate the feeling that this could go bad once they realize that I mostly didn't code anything.

But I brought them the solution, the value, so it doesn't matter if I coded it or not, right?

I don't know. What do you think, would you do this?

If you said you would build a custom solution and you didn't, then yes.

If you said you have a solution for their problem, and didn't say you would custom build it, then no.

 

[palneoon]

Just bill yourself as a whatever-you-do consultant and stack that cash.

You are associating worth to the amount of technical work you do rather than the value you provide, and that's why you feel bad. It's a limiting belief.

EDIT: Also worth noting that customizing software is a very normal thing in the business world. Look at Salesforce and SAP consultants, for example.

 

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[Einfamilienhaus]

Nobody is expecting from you to explain how get your things done. The general customer dont want to know how WP works for example. They just want a nice website with great UI/UX which turns Visitors into buyers. Right?

You have always try to see what kind of a customer is sitting in front of you. Is this person an expert in his field and knows exactly how the work should be done? Like he wants a solution X created with Y. Then you should definitely follow this expectations.

But you will also have customers with no great experience and expectation how their problem should be solved. As long it is solved in the best possible way.

I hate going to client meetings and saying "yes" to solutions I don't know how to create.

Deal with it. This situation is the best for you. It will may open some new door for greater ideas and income.

 

[AllenCrawley]

@Lex DeVille has the perfect answer.

 

[Deleted74396]

Don't feel terrible. I would do anything for $5k, don't feel bad about doing something that is totally valid and solves a customer's problem!

 

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[Bekit]

There's an old parable that goes like this (copied this version from here):

===================
The Graybeard engineer retired and a few weeks later the Big Machine broke down, which was essential to the company’s revenue. The Manager couldn’t get the machine to work again so the company called in Graybeard as an independent consultant.

Graybeard agrees. He walks into the factory, takes a look at the Big Machine, grabs a sledge hammer, and whacks the machine once whereupon the machine starts right up. Graybeard leaves and the company is making money again.

The next day Manager receives a bill from Graybeard for $5,000. Manager is furious at the price and refuses to pay. Graybeard assures him that it’s a fair price. Manager retorts that if it’s a fair price Graybeard won’t mind itemizing the bill. Graybeard agrees that this is a fair request and complies.

The new, itemized bill reads….

Hammer: $5

Knowing where to hit the machine with hammer: $4995
===================

I agree with the others.

You don't have to code Trello from scratch for your solution to be valuable enough to justify what you charge.

 

[JAJT]

If you said you would build a custom solution and you didn't, then yes.

If you said you have a solution for their problem, and didn't say you would custom build it, then no.

Exactly.

The issue comes down to expectations.

Consider the differences between an off the shelf and custom solution from a business standpoint. A custom solution is an asset that the company owns. It's proprietary and can be built on, evolved, and modified to fit the business needs. It can be sold with the business and may increase the value of the business.

A software implementation / license, however, is quite different. They understand they are working within a third party environment and have to live with the costs and limitations that come with it.

Custom vs Off The Shelf solutions are VERY different things. You own one, you don't own the other.

If someone sold you a house and you found out you were only renting, how would you feel?

The devil here is in what you told them and what they understood the agreement to mean.

 

[Kevin88660]

There's an old parable that goes like this (copied this version from here):

===================
The Graybeard engineer retired and a few weeks later the Big Machine broke down, which was essential to the company’s revenue. The Manager couldn’t get the machine to work again so the company called in Graybeard as an independent consultant.

Graybeard agrees. He walks into the factory, takes a look at the Big Machine, grabs a sledge hammer, and whacks the machine once whereupon the machine starts right up. Graybeard leaves and the company is making money again.

The next day Manager receives a bill from Graybeard for $5,000. Manager is furious at the price and refuses to pay. Graybeard assures him that it’s a fair price. Manager retorts that if it’s a fair price Graybeard won’t mind itemizing the bill. Graybeard agrees that this is a fair request and complies.

The new, itemized bill reads….

Hammer: $5

Knowing where to hit the machine with hammer: $4995
===================

I agree with the others.

You don't have to code Trello from scratch for your solution to be valuable enough to justify what you charge.

Exactly.

Same logic as doctors and lawyers

 

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