Does your design agency charge you author’s corrections AKA author’s amends, client revisions or just client changes? What are your thoughts on it?

It can be a difficult conversation to have with clients but we’re as clear as possible at the start that the price we quote is subject to author’s corrections. We do this because we aren’t mind readers (how lovely that would be!) and can only quote on the information we have at the time.

In case you’re not sure what author’s corrections are, they are additional client changes that add extra time to a previously quoted project that we need to charge extra for at an hourly rate.

Having said that, we make allowances for small amends like image swaps and word changes but when it comes to project brief changes, pages being added or new copy having to be flowed in, that’s when we sweetly draw a line in the sand and shout up. We’ll always be as fair as possible, utilising any unused time first.

That’s why it’s difficult when we are asked to quote for ‘3 rounds of amends’. It’s like asking ‘how long’s a piece of string?’ Unless we have the amends at the time of quoting (unlikely) it’s nigh on impossible to correctly quote for 3 rounds of amends without either quoting too much so we lose the project or underquoting it and we’re out of pocket.

The answer? Give your design agency are very clear brief and approve your copy internally before giving it to us – that way you will save yourself money. We totally accept that once you see your copy in-situ, changes will be made but they’re not the massive budget-busting kind of changes that create tensions in relationships and end up in tears.

The relationship with your design agency is a two-way street and by working with them to understand their charging structure it will make for a much smoother and happier process all round.

I’d love to know what your experiences are, please let me know hello@besmartdesign.co.uk