Client Back From Dead
- Started
- Last post
- 31 Responses
- i_monk0
Tell her your business is gone too.
- Hombre_Lobo0
How do you guys deal with contracts when a face to face signing is not an option? If say your client is on the other side of the world? Does an email contract carry any weight?
- You mail the contract have them sign it and mail backVikingKingEleven
- manonthestreet0
Ok..I like where this was originally headed:
(a )$1400 - [(b) $400 + (x)= (c)
(a) = money collected
(b) = money earned
(x) = management fees / asset storage [be fair]
(c) = money owed to client (or service)Where (c) can be used toward new project discovery/planning and first iteration of design.
- Exactly, this attitude of "too bad, my money now" is just bad businessformed
- MSTRPLN0
"What a coincidence, our company is no longer in business either!"
- dMullins0
Always do a contract, always, always, always.
Then, put terms in your contract that automatically sever the relationship after 30 days of inaction.
- thisfoz
- Good point, I never thought of that. Goes in my contracts from now on.Continuity
- mikotondria30
Don't do her a website for a $1000 dollars that somebody else paid for different work ? What a bunch of phooey - this woman has no respect for how you operate or any sense of how to go about business. This will be one of the worst, most drawn-out unsatisfactory things you ever do - it'll never be 'right'. The phone will ring at midnight because there's 'a strange box near the bottom of the page', or the green 'just isn't right still - how about I come over there and sit with you shaking my head while you make +1 adjustments to the slider in photoshop, whilst also remarking that it doesn't look webby enough'. It will end acrimoniously and she'll drag it on until she breaks you. She has no stake in this and will not play it as if you are working for hire, or are a valued expert whom she is privileged to have on her side. Walk away now or at least get her to pay some money upfront and and agreement to pay an equal amount at THE END of the project, because without this you're just pissing in the wind and she's holding your cock.
Be as polite as you can, obviously, but she is genuinely mistaken if she thinks you and she are already $1000 into a project. Nu-uh.
Get her to try that in any other business, anywhere in the world.
- formed0
Give a proposal for the "new" project, give $1000 credit towards that proposal.
You make money, she feels like she's got her value, win/win
- whatthefunk0
Good thing you got paid upfront, clearly the company didn't go anywhere and you would have gotten stuck without getting paid. I bet his brother is going to call you next asking for a project.
- randommail0
Tell her that your time is booked and paid for through the end of the year. But would be happy to talk to her then about her $1000 project.
I'll bet double that amount she doesn't come back.
- Ancillary0
zombie clients!
- Ancillary0
zombie clients!
- honest0
i hate to ask, but how hot is she?
- dibec0
In Oregon ... verbal is as good as signed. yip.
- Continuity0
Out of curiosity ... was the arrangement for your deposit to start the work done by email or verbally (in person or over the phone)? This bird might try to raise a stink if you don't take this gig on, and if all of it is in email, it's pretty much as good as a signed contract, as far as protecting yourself legally goes.
- Continuity0
Think of it this way:
It'd be kind of like: ordering a pizza in person at the pizzeria; paying for it before it got cooked; taking it home once cooked; eating a third of it, then binning the rest.
You can't go back to the pizzeria and say, 'Look mate, I only ate a third of that last pizza I ordered from you. How about you cook me two thirds of a new one, cos I paid for a full one last time and ate only a third. What d'you reckon?'
Same thing with this. Not your fault they walked off before the project was finished, regardless of if they paid your deposit or not.
- well stated. now i'm hungry.capn_ron
- +1fyoucher1
- Well... in this case only 1/3 of a pizza was delivered, actually. :Pmonospaced
- goldieboy0
Tell her your business is 'gone' too! Than start crying on the phone to her
- fyoucher10
Sounds like a new project to me. I'd quote her for a new project then.
The $1400 was for a different project. If they paid for it and then disappeared and it was never complete, either offer to finish up the current project or don't. They disappeared, their fault, not yours.
I know if I booked someone for a project, paid them for it, and then I disappeared without giving some kind of notice...I'd know it was my fault and I'd take the hit. It's like a cancellation fee of sorts.
- Exactly what I was thinking.Continuity
- Yeah, exactly. And there was no contract. As dibec said though, it may be nice to do something if you have time.Jaline
- Unless she has emails, but still...you have a case.Jaline
- mg330
"Mam, didn't you hear? The Internet is closing on Dec 31st this year. I'd love to do this work and take your money, but you'd really be wasting it. I'm not sure what they're coming out with next, but websites are all done starting next year. I don't even know what they'll call the next thing. Zorps? Blindons? Ginlops? You might have to visit ttt.cnn.zorp for all I know. Let's connect next year and see what we'll have to work with once they figure out what's coming next."
- monospaced0
Does she have a brother? Does he know Flash?
- moniker0
or
Start the project expecting that her business will fail also, then wait for her son to contact you in a years time.