Client Wants a ‘Quick Fix’? Send Them This Article Instead

The Dangerous Lie of the "Quick Fix"
You’ll hear it often:
“It’s just a small change.”
“Can you quickly tweak the layout?”
“I don’t need anything deep, just something that works.”
What they really mean is:
“I don’t want to pay for thinking. Just paint the surface.”
This is where most designers fold — smiling, nodding, tweaking pixels like it’s harmless.
But let me be blunt: every time you say yes to a quick fix, you devalue your entire craft.
You weren’t hired to be a design mechanic.
You were hired to create leverage.
Problem: Quick Fixes Don’t Fix Anything
You don’t solve business problems with pretty colours and fast patches.
You solve them with clarity, depth, and a strategic design system that drives results.
Here’s why quick fixes are dangerous:
They ignore the root issue — is it the UX? The copy? The funnel? They don’t care.
They waste your time — revisions pile up because the foundation is broken.
They commodify your value — you become the guy who “just designs”, not the one who moves metrics.
They set the wrong expectation — now they expect 2-hour turnarounds at ₦50k.
That’s how designers burn out and stay broke.
Not because of bad clients — but because they trained them to think small.
The Fix: Reposition Yourself as a Strategic Partner
The next time a client asks for a “quick fix”, say this instead:
“I don’t do surface work. I build systems that solve the problem once, not every month.”
Then break down what the real work looks like.
Position your value like a surgeon, not a handyman.
Tell them:
You don’t redesign landing pages — you optimize conversion flows.
You don’t just move buttons — you restructure decision-making patterns.
You don’t make logos — you build brand perception assets that increase pricing power.
Make it clear that what they call a ‘design tweak’ is often a business misdiagnosis.
Real-World Playbook
Here’s how to handle the next "quick fix" request like a Chairman:
Ask Why
→ “Why do you want this changed?”
Half the time, they don’t know. That’s your leverage.Zoom Out
→ “What’s the goal of this page/feature/design?”
Make them explain the business reason. If they can’t, you lead.Show the Hole, Then the Fix
→ “This problem isn’t visual. It’s structural. Here’s what’s broken.”
Educate. Diagnose. Offer a strategic scope — not a patch.Quote for Impact, Not Hours
→ Don’t charge ₦50k for a change. Quote ₦500k for the full fix.
That’s how you raise your perceived value.
Final Word from The Chairman
Founders don’t want quick fixes.
They want quick wins.
Two different things.
Quick fixes are reactive. Cheap. Repetitive.
Quick wins are strategic. Expensive. Repeatable.
If you want to stop being the "design guy" and start being the one who leads product success —
stop entertaining amateur briefs.
Push back.
Educate them.
Lead them.
If they still want a quick fix?
Tell them to open Canva. You’re not their patch man. You’re the Chairman.
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Written by

Design Chairman
Design Chairman
Design Executioner for Elite Brands. Your Competitor's Nightmare