Clients that don't pay?
- Thread starter bizousoft
- Start date
End of story.
Wow. Do you want to get sued on top of not getting paid?
Just because something wasn't in writing doesn't mean there wasn't a contract. Writing is preferable, but not necessary.
1. Leave it a few days for him to calm down. Send him a note in the post (yes, that's right. A real letter.) apologizing for the fuckup and offering him a discount off the SEO as a goodwill gesture.
2. Call him. Tell him you feel really shitty about what's happened and ask how you can sort it out.
3. If he doesn't answer the phone, go see him. Take your laptop, wait outside his office all day if you have to. It's a lot harder to be an asshole to someone face to face.
Be conciliatory. YOU have fucked up here in several ways. If you swing your dick around at him you'll lose the money AND wreck your reputation.
In this case, I wouldn't bother with small claims. If you have a pissed off customer, he'll go out of his way not to pay you. Court enforcement is very slow.
2. Call him. Tell him you feel really shitty about what's happened and ask how you can sort it out.
3. If he doesn't answer the phone, go see him. Take your laptop, wait outside his office all day if you have to. It's a lot harder to be an asshole to someone face to face.
Be conciliatory. YOU have fucked up here in several ways. If you swing your dick around at him you'll lose the money AND wreck your reputation.
In this case, I wouldn't bother with small claims. If you have a pissed off customer, he'll go out of his way not to pay you. Court enforcement is very slow.
just to clarify, 10 days prior he sent a list of modifications and ALL of them were performed except for the last part which is the stupid contact form and if we substract weekends we're looking at 6 business days without news.
lesson learned though big time, since lots of ppl here see it as being completely unprofessional I can relate to his attitude more now...
but I still want my money.... so what else can you propose?
1 important fact: this guy was a fukin' nightmare from day one, during one meeting it got so heated that he said "you don't want to see me get really mad" and I replied "right back at ya...", think after that the working relationship went south and communication was kept to a bare minimum
Think I'll start some SEO work right away and show him results to appease him
lesson learned though big time, since lots of ppl here see it as being completely unprofessional I can relate to his attitude more now...
but I still want my money.... so what else can you propose?
1 important fact: this guy was a fukin' nightmare from day one, during one meeting it got so heated that he said "you don't want to see me get really mad" and I replied "right back at ya...", think after that the working relationship went south and communication was kept to a bare minimum
yeah, i'm not too sure about the idea either
Not for him...
Think I'll start some SEO work right away and show him results to appease him
I can tell you, from 14 years' personal experience of dealing with clients that your chances of getting your money in this case are slim to none.
Try sucking up to him, and if you really want to throw another coupla hundred bucks at it, try suing him, but you're better off spending the time and energy finding a new client.
Seriously. If you do sue him, you're gonna spend the next 6 months chewing yourself up about it at every spare moment, when you could be using your mental energy for something constructive.
If the guy's a much of an asshole as you say, console yourself with the fact he's probably deeply unhappy, had a really unpleasant childhood, and his wife and kids secretly hate him.
In your defense, some clients are definitely NOT worth working with, especially some of the technophobic, blue-collar meatheads. Working with them is like handling nitroglycerin... the minute you screw up (which you did) it's all bad.
The question is: is it worth your time to pursue the money he owes you OR is it more profitable to write it off as a loss? Fuck principle; what's going to get you paid the most?
Taking the guy to small claims is time, money and headaches. $2000 is not a lot of money, hoss.
Honestly from the client's perspective, not being responsive for 10 days is straight up retarded. You're just rationalizing yourself by saying "it's only 6 business days". I don't know what industry he's in, but 10 days, or 6 "business" days is a helluva long ass time. I'd tell you to take a fuking hike. But it's both parties fault for not coming up with a written contract (even a simple email exchange outlining what is to be expected). Not being done on time isn't the problem, not being done on time + AVOIDING him is what makes you a fucking douche.
/rant
- now i think of it I came off a bit severe - but I'm just speaking from personal experience with service providers in the client's shoes. just take this as a lesson and make sure you outline the expectations beforehand via email so you guys both have a reference.
/rant
- now i think of it I came off a bit severe - but I'm just speaking from personal experience with service providers in the client's shoes. just take this as a lesson and make sure you outline the expectations beforehand via email so you guys both have a reference.
Totally reasonable.
Honestly, I spent about 10 minutes looking for the OP's website so I can start calling his clients and offering them the service they deserve, but his linked in doesn't have one and I only came across 1,2,3 web designs or something.
God. I love taking clients from people like him.
It's just amazing that he's trying to justify it. lmao
LOL. I took this one bitch to small claims for $15. She wrote me a bad check and that was the fee my fucking bank charged me. She paid me but refused to pay the fee so I sued her ass. She ended up paying over $100 in fees because I paid to have her served and everything. But the whole thing was a huge fucking mess. That's why I don't take checks and haven't for a long, long time.
As a web designer/developer myself, I'd never do a site for a client without 100% down. If they don't like it and I refuse to give them a refund, they can sue me. They're the ones that hired ME, not the other way around so they should have to take the risks not me.
bizousoft,
Disclaimer: the information below is for purely entertainment purposes and it should not be construed as legal advice or anything of the sort.
1. you should've responded and morally you are way in the wrong
2. it doesn't make his failure to pay excusable
3. you might have caused him damages by disappearing and now he might owe you less
4. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT YOU CAN RECOVER UNDER THE LEGAL THEORY OF UNJUST ENRICHMENT
5. be super nice to to the guy. brown nose and ask him to pay some amount less than the agreed amount.
6. if he doesnt pay, just file a small claim.
--resident atty
Disclaimer: the information below is for purely entertainment purposes and it should not be construed as legal advice or anything of the sort.
1. you should've responded and morally you are way in the wrong
2. it doesn't make his failure to pay excusable
3. you might have caused him damages by disappearing and now he might owe you less
4. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT YOU CAN RECOVER UNDER THE LEGAL THEORY OF UNJUST ENRICHMENT
5. be super nice to to the guy. brown nose and ask him to pay some amount less than the agreed amount.
6. if he doesnt pay, just file a small claim.
--resident atty
and even if you get a judgement, that doesn't mean you'll collect. Plus if you bring in lawyer, you will have to pay that lawyer in the meantime.
I dont think it is that bad. Is it a good idea? No. Do I try to do this? No
Typically I try to get everything I can do, as quickly as possible. If no other reason than to be able to bill the client.
But show them the website and work to get paid.
There are always other thing to do to him. But to be honest he could then start doing the same thing to you. Which would hurt you more than retaliation would help.
Typically I try to get everything I can do, as quickly as possible. If no other reason than to be able to bill the client.
But show them the website and work to get paid.
There are always other thing to do to him. But to be honest he could then start doing the same thing to you. Which would hurt you more than retaliation would help.
One time a designer was late for 2 weeks and non responsive for about a week. When I got the project, I almost didn't want to pay the remaining 50%
If the project was late and I was informed, acceptable
If the designer disappears and non responsive for even just 3 days, NOT acceptable.
You fked up, learn your lesson and move on.
If the project was late and I was informed, acceptable
If the designer disappears and non responsive for even just 3 days, NOT acceptable.
You fked up, learn your lesson and move on.