sending an invoice and not getting a response?
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- fredddddd
kind of new to this.
what do you do when you do some work for people, then send an invoice a week later and dont hear back for three weeks? no check, no reply. they're good for it, but might not want to pay either.
- trooperbill0
always call to make sure theyve received the invoice of like me, dont release/launch anything until its paid for
- whereRI0
new clients - 50% up front, contract etc...
- 50% payment on completion prior to release or publicationtrooperbill
- d_rek0
no offense but it sounds like you're doing business in such a way that will leave you open an vulnerable to this type of behavior from clients.
You should always agree to terms and payments up front, in writing, with signatures.
It doesn't matter that they've 'gotten' your emails they're not really acknowledging that they've recieved your invoice. You should call them or just explicitly ask, "Hi, have you recieved my invoice, dated 9/9/10?"
And as trooper said above, don't launch/release anything until you have the final payment in hand. Make sure you can pull any live web stuff if you need to and that any print artwork is not source and/or press-ready.
- identity0
• Watermark all work in progress.
• 1/3 payment up front, 1/3 payment at completion of first round, 1/3 payment upon completion
• Don't hand over final artwork until you've received last 1/3It's difficult to do business in this way sometimes - as part of what we do is building relationships that will result in future work over the course of time - but if you can establish the ground rules in a diplomatic manner in the beginning you should be good.
You're dealing with other business people. They know how transactions work. They wouldn't give you their product for free with the promise of future payment. It's a fine-line to walk; being firm, but friendly.
It probably won't work for THIS client - as you've set a precedent of bad behavior (it would appear) - but for future clients you could institute something like this.
- fredddddd0
well I was being paid by the day, for an undetermined amount of time. then it stopped. there was no set rate or charge up front and it was inhouse as well.
- whatthefunk0
I've gone so far as cc'ing everyone in the company for payment - I'll search out employees via LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. and send one email to everyone. Many times you can google a contact's name and email address and find a variety of corresponding email addresses. Usually the company's "contact us" form on their website works, do a whois search and email the technical contact, grab all these contact addresses and send one firm email, has worked for me!
- Continuity0
It could be they have a Net 30 Days policy, in which case you wouldn't see a cheque for a month after invoicing. If you don't get anything after a month, put the boots to them.
- formed0
Call them. Pretty simple. I've had plenty of comments from bookkeeper's/check writers "oh, so sorry, the CEO (whoever you corresponded with) never submitted the invoice".
This has happened on both small and very large projects. 3 weeks is nothing, just be persistent and professional.
- fredddddd0
thanks for all the advice