Thanks for your input, you are certainly entiteld to your opinion and
I do agree with what you are saying (mostly:), my comments are my
opinion, and I stand by them. I don't know if you have taken any
customer relation like courses but I have, and this is a prevalent
concept and may seem strange, even now, but it's still out there.

Let's let this go, as we are starting to move out of the context of
the forum.

Peter

--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "Woody" <woody-tmw@g...>
wrote:

> From: "petersi" <petersimard@s...>
> > I have read a few comments about how interaction with the client
> > should be handled (found in this thread). While I know this is

mostly

> > for humour, I think we should all understand and agree that not
> > everybody is as technically inclined as we are. The way I treat
> > clients/customers is with the intention of explaining things as

best

> > as possible (in plain english) and allow them to make their

decisions

> > based on that. I'm there to help them [make decisions], not

control

> > how or what they are thinking, but to give them the ability to see
> > the possibilities and make an adequate decision. If in the end
> > they "screw up" then it's my job to make sure there is a solution

to

> > the "screw up" and, yes, even take the blame (because it was my

fault

> > they went down that path.
> >
> > This may seem strange to some people or incorrect, but I have been
> > dealing with the user/driver side of developing software for a

good

> > period now, and I now understand that the client is always right
> > (even if I know in my heart they are not). My job is to get them

to

> > go the way I want while still having them feel they are getting

what

> > they want. It is a game of politics, but it's necessary.
>
> Peter, with all due respect, this is BS. You are in no way

obligated to

> accept a job from a client where you will be held responsible for

their

> mistakes or idiocy. I tell all my clients up front what is expected

of me

> and of them and if they don't like it, well , they are free to hire

someone

> else to do the job. I refuse to take responsibility for their

mistakes.

>
> The old "customer is always right" is a farce, IMHO, because they

aren't the

> ones who went to school for programming and don't do research every

day in

> our field. We are the ones who read newsgroups, try new stuff,

experiment

> and learn constantly. If they can't accept that, then they need to

look for

> someone else to help them. They usually get what they pay for as

they find

> out eventually.
>
> Woody (TMW)