How do you feel about instant gratification?

I enjoy it personally. It’s like waving a magic wand.

I’m spoiled by my programming co-workers. Sometimes I happen to stumble upon a bug, need an e-mail setting fixed on a server I don’t have access to, or have a question about the CMS we built from scratch; I can’t think of a single time when I’ve had to ask twice because I didn’t get an answer nearly immediately.

But throw clients into the mix, and you have an entirely different ballgame.It’s not unheard of these days for a programmer to also design, and the other way around. So therefore it’s not unheard of for a programmer to interact with clients. It might be as complex as explaining the inner workings of an app they’d like integrated into their site, or as simple as telling them their project is complete. It’s possible to provide instant gratification either way.

The term takes on a negative connotation as this outlandish request that can’t possibly be done- “Are they crazy? What do they expect, instant gratification?”

Well, yeah.

Give it to them once, and they expect it every single time. The bar is raised, expectations altered, and neediness increased. There’s a fine line between getting things done in a timely fashion, and getting them done too quickly. It’s a shame, though. You want to show your clients you can solve their problem in a matter of minutes, but you don’t wanna tell them how fast you are. If you do, they’ll ask for the moon, and let’s face it- you might not be able to give them the moon. Giving someone the moon is a HUGE job… and cannot be done quickly.

Dealing with clients who expect the world to revolve around them can be stressful, especially when you have 18 other projects on your plate. But, as sneaky as the solution sounds, don’t let it get to you. Barring a rush job that absolutely has to be done that second, don’t be afraid to put a little space between the moment the project is done, and when the client is notified that it’s done. It’ll still probably be quicker than they expected, anyway.

Giving and receiving instant gratification is definitely satisfying. Find the balance with your clients that lets you keep giving it, so they can believe they’re continuing to receive it.