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Yup. Sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and fire them. We had someone approach us a few years ago we really didn't want to work with as everything they

by madaxe 13y ago

Yup. Sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and fire them. We had someone approach us a few years ago we really didn't want to work with as everything they did screamed "moron in a hurry", so, rather than telling them to naff off, we gave them a quote that should have caused cardiac arrest. They agreed to it. Two years on. Still working with them. No amount of money makes it worth it. Particularly given that they still haven't paid said insane quote.

anonymous 13y ago
If they haven't paid in two years shouldn't you be suing them?
- madaxe 13y ago
  Oh, they have paid, just not in full. As to suing them, no - the industry we work in is stupidly tight knit, and regardless of the truth, any agency that sues their clients looks like crap. We have leverage over them in terms of "whoops, looks like your sole revenue stream just got turned off", they have leverage over us in terms of reputational damage. Were this some sole trader on the far side of the planet, there'd be nil compunction. But they're not.
Devilboy 13y ago
Gotta get paid half up-front man!
- uptown 13y ago
  Still leaves them with a 50% discount until you take 'em to court.
  - megablast 13y ago
    Charge them at least double then.
- madaxe 13y ago
  Half up front is a bad model. A better model is 25% staged throughout a project, with 25% post completion. This means that they don't get live unless you've at least 75% of the balance paid, and you then operate a one month warranty period at the end of which they pay the balance. With these particular goons, we have our 75%, and a never-ending stream of "we've re-interpreted the specification and believe that X means Y, Z, Q, R, P and M, which we require before we will sign off", much as we'd anticipated. This is why we charge a minimum of 75% prior to go-live. Means that even if they do decline to pay the remainder, we aren't left out of pocket, and can play silly buggers for as long as it takes for them to get bored and go away.
raverbashing 13y ago
Well, why are you working for free? "Payment upon completion?" Biggest lie ever
orangethirty 13y ago
The problem is you, not the client. Simply fire them. Say "We will not work with you any more." That's all it takes. In fact, give me their phone number, I'll call them for you.

by madaxe 13y ago

anonymous 13y ago

If they haven't paid in two years shouldn't you be suing them?

madaxe 13y ago
Oh, they have paid, just not in full. As to suing them, no - the industry we work in is stupidly tight knit, and regardless of the truth, any agency that sues their clients looks like crap. We have leverage over them in terms of "whoops, looks like your sole revenue stream just got turned off", they have leverage over us in terms of reputational damage. Were this some sole trader on the far side of the planet, there'd be nil compunction. But they're not.

Devilboy 13y ago

Gotta get paid half up-front man!

uptown 13y ago
Still leaves them with a 50% discount until you take 'em to court.
- megablast 13y ago
  Charge them at least double then.
madaxe 13y ago
Half up front is a bad model. A better model is 25% staged throughout a project, with 25% post completion. This means that they don't get live unless you've at least 75% of the balance paid, and you then operate a one month warranty period at the end of which they pay the balance. With these particular goons, we have our 75%, and a never-ending stream of "we've re-interpreted the specification and believe that X means Y, Z, Q, R, P and M, which we require before we will sign off", much as we'd anticipated. This is why we charge a minimum of 75% prior to go-live. Means that even if they do decline to pay the remainder, we aren't left out of pocket, and can play silly buggers for as long as it takes for them to get bored and go away.

raverbashing 13y ago

Well, why are you working for free? "Payment upon completion?" Biggest lie ever

orangethirty 13y ago

The problem is you, not the client. Simply fire them. Say "We will not work with you any more." That's all it takes. In fact, give me their phone number, I'll call them for you.