Graphic designer told to stop "pestering" client, designer complies, client's project goes up in flames: 'As per your request, I did not follow up'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jun 10, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Let this story serve as a friendly reminder to be kind to the people who are doing a service for you. With that thought in mind, it's also crucial to be cognizant of the wording and tone you use when giving instructions. Vague directives delivered in a hostile way might leave room for some well-deserved malicious compliance!

In this instance, we have a graphic designer who was completing a project for a real estate firm. The designer followed up every few days for updates as the deadline for the billboard, where the design would be posted, was rapidly approaching. The firm contacted the designer's supervisor and aggressively ordered the designer to stop following up. Well, that meant that the designer was no longer able to complete their end of the process, and with the deadline coming closer and closer, there wasn't much that could be done unless the real estate firm completed their end of the bargain. Given that they didn't want to be bothered anymore, you can just imagine how timely they were with the deadline… not!

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    8 GOD
    via Per Lööv

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • It's worth pointing out that if you are a client, you have to ensure that the person completing whatever service you'd like has everything they need to do their job before you leave them be. Otherwise, you can expect constant questions. If that's not your speed, then you need to get all your ducks in a row from the start. Unfortunately for this real estate firm, their organizational skills were majorly lacking, and that is the only reason why they missed their deadline. 

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    I work in graphic design, mostly for finicky corporate clients. One of them, a mid-sized real estate firm, would always ghost me on approvals, then complain about delays.
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    I used to send reminders every 2-3 days. Then the client's project lead sent a snarky email to my boss: "Can your designer stop pestering us for updates? We'll reply when we're ready."
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    Okay then. I flagged the email, stopped following up, and moved the project to "on hold."
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    Three weeks later, they call panicking, their billboard design hadn't gone to print and the ad buy window closed. They blamed me, but I attached their email
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    with a cheery note: "As per your request, I did not follow up further on pending approvals." Silence for a day.
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    Then a new project manager emailed to say the other guy had "moved on" and to please feel free to resume reminders as needed.
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    I send those reminders now, cc'ing the new manager and legal.
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    mrjane7 3d ago Yikes, that's a tough one for them! I'm glad that didn't come back on you.
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    I did graphic and web design for 9 years and these kinds of clients are the reason I got out. I had a lady that brought in a mock up of a website she'd done in some program, saying she wanted
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    her website to look like the example. I spent 18 hours. making the website, doing the graphics, to make it look like the sample she'd brought in.
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    I show it to her. She doesn't like it. Uh... what? But it looks just like the image you brought in. "Oh, well, that was just an example." I got so bl dy frustrated. Final
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    website ended up looking nothing like what she'd brought in. And then a week later, I dropped her as a client. And a few weeks after that, I changed careers. One in which I don't have to deal with those kinds of people.
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    Cheezburger Image 10515677696
    via Per Lööv

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    CoderJoe1 · I can see this happening. Most clients have little clue what they want. It's often a game of guessing and suggesting until you happen upon something they find acceptable.
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    TXquilter1. I posted this in another subreddit last week but this sounded like another perfect spot for it. LOL
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    I had a boss that refused to read his email. Then he decided to make me the gatekeeper of his email and let him know if there is anything major that needs
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    attention. There was one instance where he needed to approve to pay an invoice on a contract with one of our vendors. It was for a huge project. If the invoice
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    wasn't paid on time all work stopped. Also if no payment was received to our vendor, it could have legal ramifications and could result in federal fines. I
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    verbally asked him and emailed him requesting his immediate approval. I re- sent it to him for ease of email location. He still didn't approve it. I even put a note
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    on his desk and again emailed him requesting approval, still nothing. Each time for over a month, I emailed and physically requested his approval.
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    When the work stopped in several facilities and we received federal fines for breach of contract he tried to blame me not realizing there was an email chain validating my approval reminders. I produced my
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    emails to the CEO. My boss was demoted that week and I was promoted to Contract and Project Administrator.
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workplace-stories work stories toxic-workplace job malicious compliance work client real estate company workplace malicious compliance toxic-work-environment
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