Marketing people

[original PM]

It's a good idea and if it was my main client I might have chosen to speak to him. If I was in the same office I would have had a word and explain it.
But it's a short project and I think suggesting he find a faster programmer probably suits us both.

Yeah sometimes it is nice to walk away - too many people live their life grasping for every penny and assume everyone else does.

Looking at their cash offering with a slight look of bemusement before saying thanks but no thanks can be a treat in itself.

[woohoo]

So fire him an e-mail back asking if he can explain what he means.

Seriously this sounds like the sort of ****** who would sell his grandma for a fiver and spends most of his time under the bosses desk choking pole - treat him with the disdain he deserves.

It's a good idea and if it was my main client I might have chosen to speak to him. If I was in the same office I would have had a word and explain it.
But it's a short project and I think suggesting he find a faster programmer probably suits us both.

[original PM]

It's a short project, gave an update and was a couple of days away from finishing. I also produced a development plan for them, outlining the work. I also updated the marketing geezer with when I planned on working on the project.

My guess is he fired off the email to hurry me up without thinking. As Jog On said there is a bit of a culture of this with marketing people.

So fire him an e-mail back asking if he can explain what he means.

Seriously this sounds like the sort of ****** who would sell his grandma for a fiver and spends most of his time under the bosses desk choking pole - treat him with the disdain he deserves.

[woohoo]

Why not manage his expectations? Contractors are not just glorified typists - there is a business to be run.....

It's a short project, gave an update and was a couple of days away from finishing. I also produced a development plan for them, outlining the work. I also updated the marketing geezer with when I planned on working on the project.

My guess is he fired off the email to hurry me up without thinking. As Jog On said there is a bit of a culture of this with marketing people.

[BrilloPad]

It's not my main client at the moment, so a short project, split over eve/weekends.

tbh I told him I was working as hard as I could and suggested he find a faster programmer for future work.

I'm not desperate and don't have to put up with people like that but it's annoying.

Why not manage his expectations? Contractors are not just glorified typists - there is a business to be run.....

[woohoo]

I've worked in a few advertising clientco's and there is a culture of looking down on IT people who are oh so inferior to 'creatives'. I think it has something to do with the fact that they see themselves as being so 'creative' whereas they are just producing sales material and adverts as opposed to real art.

They also tend to shoot first and ask questions later without knowing WTF they are talking about and like to 'blame IT' for any problems that might be hampering their deadlines.

If you have the facts on your side and are delivering well and in good time then why not get him and your client contact on a call to discuss the issues and make him squirm?

It's not my main client at the moment, so a short project, split over eve/weekends.

tbh I told him I was working as hard as I could and suggested he find a faster programmer for future work.

I'm not desperate and don't have to put up with people like that but it's annoying. Especially when you are trying to do a good job for them.

[Jog On]

So I'm doing a little work for a client in the evenings/weekends. Well within schedule and doing a really good job. Wanting to produce something that they can maintain and works really well.

So, the marketing guy emails me and includes my contact at the client, saying it's dragging on now and it's critical blah blah. I don't think this marketing guy has any programming experience, so I'm trying to understand how he knows it's dragging on. Really demotivated me.

Why are marketing people pricks?

Is there some kind of motivational book for marketing people "How to really motivate IT people"?

I've worked in a few advertising clientco's and there is a culture of looking down on IT people who are oh so inferior to 'creatives'. I think it has something to do with the fact that they see themselves as being so 'creative' whereas they are just producing sales material and adverts as opposed to real art.

They also tend to shoot first and ask questions later without knowing WTF they are talking about and like to 'blame IT' for any problems that might be hampering their deadlines.

If you have the facts on your side and are delivering well and in good time then why not get him and your client contact on a call to discuss the issues and make him squirm?

[BrilloPad]

Have you managed the marketing person's expectations? They are full of poo - have you allowed for that.

Personally I would reply "The original schedule was x months. This is still well on target as there are y months remaining".

Don't forget to tell them how slim and good looking you are. And how you have another gig carrying CUK....

[woohoo]

So I'm doing a little work for a client in the evenings/weekends. Well within schedule and doing a really good job. Wanting to produce something that they can maintain and works really well.

So, the marketing guy emails me and includes my contact at the client, saying it's dragging on now and it's critical blah blah. I don't think this marketing guy has any programming experience, so I'm trying to understand how he knows it's dragging on. Really demotivated me.

Why are marketing people pricks?

Is there some kind of motivational book for marketing people "How to really motivate IT people"?