Re: Underdelivering

I have this argument with folks at work monthly, it seems. My position is that anybody can now afford the tools to do the low-end crappy work in high volume, i.e., anybody ( and everybody ) can crank out hot dogs and burgers fast-food style. Including the clients, who can buy FCP and a mac and do what we do at home themselves, equivalent to nuking a dog in their own kitchen.

What they can't yet do is the higher-end stuff that takes years of practice and actual talent to pull off, but that can't be a volume business. Now we're talking executive chef fancy cookin' here. Intricate compositing, color work, graphic design, animation. Custom stuff. Authoring.

Long term, every client will be able to get the "hot dog level" work done at home or by any number of lowball competitors. There will be little or no margin for profit in those jobs. It's the Iron Chef level stuff that will continue to make your operation the most profit margin and repeat biz, even after you consider the extra time it may take.

I'm not saying you stop making hot dogs. I'm saying you should expand the menu and let your clients know you can make a damn fine steak when needed. Because those fast-food level clients may not always be there.