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How to converse effectively with clients as a front-end developer

For front-end developers, communication is an essential skill. Read on to know how to conversate with clients as a front-end developer.

For front-end developers, communication is an essential skill. In contrast to backend developers, they have the active participation of stakeholders in their work. Whether working on a small website or a large-scale application, you will actively communicate with clients.

Speak with confidence 

Confidence in your communication is a must to subconsciously convey to the client that you are an expert in your domain. Front-end developers have a lot to discuss with clients, project scope, design, timeline, cost, etc. Everything must be conveyed with the clear objective of informing the client.

If you are wondering how front-end developers include confidence in their communication, here’s an example:

Suppose you have a feature that will make a client’s site faster, then your tone must reflect that you know what you are talking about.

“I think it will help make your site faster” is an unappealing statement. Instead, you should use “By reducing the number of HTTP requests to the browser, I will significantly improve site performance.”

Here the difference is that you sound confident, and the client knows precisely what you will be doing and how it will affect the project.

A word of caution here is to keep in mind to be respectful. During large web projects, there will be thousands of elements and components to work on. Something will slip through the cracks, do not be accusatory. Gently discuss with clients about project requirements or missed tasks.

Communicate roadblocks with a strategy 

Clients are an essential part of a business. To get them on the same page, you need to structure your conversations around their needs. It is vital to keep them informed and included in the development process.

Most front-end developers tremble when they have to communicate roadblocks with the client. But it is not that difficult; think of it the same as creating a website’s front page.

You think about the action you want the visitors to take. In this case, navigate the client through the issue without aggravation.

Have a call-to-action ready that speaks to the client and paves the way for communication.  

Design the rest of the page, i.e., the conversation around getting the visitor (the client) through the conversion funnel (talking through the issue).

Let’s see it through an example. Suppose you face difficulty with a component design and think you can achieve it with another programming language. It would help if you initiated something like this.

“I have completed the registration module, but we should make the KYC process faster. Right now, you have suggested Vue.js, but it is limited in its scope in performance. We should use Node.js, which is much faster and can be deployed faster.”

Here you are making clients stick to the path you want to take, cementing your authority and expertise.

Set expectations

Establishing boundaries around the project’s scope, turnaround times, response times, and support is crucial. The first step towards this goal is to make the expectations clear from the beginning.

Define the expectations as accurately as possible. It will help the client be clear about the scope of work you will be doing and the timeline. Discuss the project’s timeline with the client before starting the project to minimize the risk of future disagreements.

Most clients like to work with developers who stick to their agreement and put in the hours promised. Set up a proper communication channel and time when you will hold meetings with the client for effective communication. Avoid engaging clients outside this time unless it’s necessary.

Be transparent about your pricing

Be it a rate-based project or fixed hourly rates, the project’s pricing is always the elephant in the room. The final project pricing depends on the complexity of the project and the features you are going to build. Not all features are created equal, and if you do not communicate this to the client, there will be a misunderstanding later on.

Eliminate any scope for miscommunication by putting your pricing in writing. Mention what features you will be working on and that any additional features will cost extra. Be open to the demands of the clients and their budgets. You can compensate for less pay by using technologies that offer better automation and faster delivery. For instance, if a client wants static pages in a JavaScript page, you can use GatsbyJS, which has ready-made static page templates.

Conclusion

Front-end developers are not the awkward, bespectacled geeks who fail to communicate with clients; they are professionals who deliver on clients’ requirements keeping them in the loop throughout the development process.

We hope these tips will enable you to talk to clients professionally about everything related to the project. The key here is to prioritize the needs of the client but demonstrate your value as well for a sustainable partnership.

Talent500 is a platform for front-end developers to explore remote work opportunities with fast-growing startups and Fortune 500 companies. Sign up today to join the pool of elite talent.

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Manik Sharma

Manik Sharma

Manik Sharma specializes primarily in UI or Software Development using Javascript libraries like React and Redux along with HTML, CSS, and other libraries like Bootstrap, Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB. He loves to talk business and think of cool startup ideas. Definitely, an entrepreneur in making. He is equally interested in discussing innovative ideas that can make a huge difference in someone's life.

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