I have been having this experience for sometime now, when a client needs a software product and contacts me, the client usually wants to know the time frame on which this product will be accomplished. Usually as a software developer I might not be able to fully determine how long it will take me to finish the job since I may encounter an error that may take me weeks (sometimes months) to solve.
If I tell the client the expected time frame based on my analysis i.e. no matter how bad it gets, I should be able to finish the job in lets say 6 months maximum (for example). My client usually says NO! six months is too long, I need it urgently, maximum should be one month. If I refuse to accept the time frame given by the client he may give the contract to another developer who accepts the short time frame of the client and yet does not execute the job in time.
On the other hand, if I accept the short time frame of the client and get the contract (knowing fully well that it will be impossible to finish it in time), I will only succeed in getting the contract and then later come up with excuses as to why the job is not completed in time. This now seems to be a norm, but deep down I feel I am learning how to be dishonest in order to get contracts. So is it a bad thing or is it just a business strategy?
Best Answer
You should reason with these types of clients in situations like this.
Instead of giving a single time-frame from start to finish, explain to them that you can have a somewhat production-ready tool in a span of one month.
If you explain to them (using like a piece of paper) the algorithm or steps involved in producing a software product, this will make them understand what software development is. Knowing how people generally may be towards this, you need to highlight the important parts of the production process.
For example:
I don't think you should charge a fee for explaining this process, unless you can get it done within the allotted time that they're paying for.
The gist of what I'm trying to say is that you need to explain to clients in a way that they can see benefits directly to themselves.
If I ran (for example) a shoe retailing business, the things I'd like to hear most from a software developer is how their work will benefit my business, which is what you need to do.
You can lastly, also explain to them why it is impossible to achieve a good final product in a span of one month.
Then let them decide, based on all the facts you've given, if it is acceptable to have a half-baked product in one month instead of a better solution in a little longer time (also, 6 months is a very long time. You should think of trying to reduce this time to a maximum of 2-3 months, unless you deliver a rolling-product in which a working version is available soon, but you keep updating it until it is production-ready).