[thelist] Customer requirements: simple?

[Joel D Canfield]

On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 2:51 AM, Alex Beston <alex.beston at gmail.com> wrote:

> Should we answer email from people who want things that are "simple" and
> "just the basics".


I just finished a lightly customised WordPress installation for a local guy
who has a mobile wood-fired pizza oven. We turned it around in 6 days. He
was fantastic about getting the content to us and reviewing changes.

He called asking for something simple and basic and wasn't even sure what
that meant. We talked to him like a real human being, and had an absolute
ball working with him. Is turning into some marvelous word-of-mouth for us
in an under-served niche. (Might also result in some Neapolitan style pizza
at our going-away party, if we have one.)

I love simple basic sites. Unless someone clearly announces they're a jerk,
I give them the benefit of the doubt. Pretty easy to see quickly where it's
going.

But don't take projects from cheap jerks just because you need money. Bad
bad thinking, that.

joel