[Sgoettschkes]

I'm not sure that this blows the client away tbh. I had much more success with being critical but within reason. If a client suggests a feature I do not believe will work or is not worth the time, my approach is to agree that this is technically possible and it will take X amount of time with Y drawbacks (e.g. harder to maintain in the future, manual effort later on). And then I'll tell them my opinion about it from a business perspective. I don't push in any direction and make it clear that if this is what they want, I'll get to work right away.

But then again, I only work with clients who appreciate feedback and don't think of me as a person turning coffee into code ;)

[gk1]

I'm with you. I view my clients as partners with whom I can speak openly--without sugarcoating, dumbing things down, or worrying about their feelings.

It may feel uncomfortable to say "no" or "that's a bad idea" to the person who's paying you, but in the long term it's better for the relationship. After all, they're paying you for your expertise, not to fulfill their every wish.