Comments on: Screaming at Clients http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/ the personal blog of Paul Enderson Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:29:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Paul http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-291 Paul Sun, 27 May 2007 22:09:55 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-291 By the way HSO (Alex?)... I'm a long-time fan of your theme work mate - pracaredux is even on my shortlist of possible themes to hack about for my next refresh! It's an honour to have a WP legend ( ;) ) commenting on my little blog! By the way HSO (Alex?)… I’m a long-time fan of your theme work mate - pracaredux is even on my shortlist of possible themes to hack about for my next refresh! It’s an honour to have a WP legend ( ;) ) commenting on my little blog!

]]> By: Paul http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-290 Paul Sun, 27 May 2007 22:00:39 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-290 That's certainly one way to avoid potential issues. One of the first things I do when I get called about a new project is take the caller's complete details - address, email, phone and fax numbers, the lot. If somebody doesn't feel comfortable giving me this information, then I generally don't feel comfortable working with them! ;) That’s certainly one way to avoid potential issues. One of the first things I do when I get called about a new project is take the caller’s complete details - address, email, phone and fax numbers, the lot. If somebody doesn’t feel comfortable giving me this information, then I generally don’t feel comfortable working with them! ;)

]]> By: hso http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-289 hso Sun, 27 May 2007 21:43:22 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-289 About 50% of my clients are repeat customers, so they are safe, the rest I try and hand pick those within the US with phone numbers and addresses. About 50% of my clients are repeat customers, so they are safe, the rest I try and hand pick those within the US with phone numbers and addresses.

]]> By: Paul http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-284 Paul Sun, 27 May 2007 15:03:01 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-284 I'd like to use that sort of arrangement, but the corporates don't like paying half up front! I've found the easiest way to do it is this: 1. If it's a new client, then insist on 25% in advance, or 35% if the total project price is more than a thousand pounds. 2. The balance on both of these arrangements is payable 14 days after the project is complete. 3. Once the business relationship has been established, and the first invoice has been paid without problems, then I move to a 14-day invoice for less than a grand, and a 30-day invoice for more. I find this works well for me at least, and gives me a get-out clause - just in case I get bad vibes about a client! I’d like to use that sort of arrangement, but the corporates don’t like paying half up front! I’ve found the easiest way to do it is this:

1. If it’s a new client, then insist on 25% in advance, or 35% if the total project price is more than a thousand pounds.

2. The balance on both of these arrangements is payable 14 days after the project is complete.

3. Once the business relationship has been established, and the first invoice has been paid without problems, then I move to a 14-day invoice for less than a grand, and a 30-day invoice for more.

I find this works well for me at least, and gives me a get-out clause - just in case I get bad vibes about a client!

]]> By: David Zemens http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-283 David Zemens Sun, 27 May 2007 14:31:51 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-283 I think we have all gotten burned once, but I learned early on only to take on work from clients with a 50% deposit. If they are not interested in working under this arrangement, I move on. Makes life a bit simpler. I think we have all gotten burned once, but I learned early on only to take on work from clients with a 50% deposit. If they are not interested in working under this arrangement, I move on. Makes life a bit simpler.

]]> By: Paul http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-282 Paul Sun, 27 May 2007 14:30:31 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-282 Thanks for your comment! Yeah - I've had one guy who didn't pay. I helped him set up a UK registred company, sorted out his VAT situation, created a logo and website for him, created an impressive brochure and got it printed - and then got stuffed for the 5k he owed me when he suddely upped and moved back to Cyprus. As you say, there are ways to deal with this sort of client - but this guy had relatives in the Turkish Mafia, so I didn't feel I should press the subject too much! ;) Thanks for your comment! Yeah - I’ve had one guy who didn’t pay. I helped him set up a UK registred company, sorted out his VAT situation, created a logo and website for him, created an impressive brochure and got it printed - and then got stuffed for the 5k he owed me when he suddely upped and moved back to Cyprus.

As you say, there are ways to deal with this sort of client - but this guy had relatives in the Turkish Mafia, so I didn’t feel I should press the subject too much! ;)

]]> By: hso http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-281 hso Sun, 27 May 2007 13:21:13 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-281 What about "The A$$*(^$", the kinds that refuse to pay after the work is complete! Luckily I have had just one such client, this guy used aliases to contract work as a not-for-profit and on completion disappeared. He never replied to my emails or never acknowledged the invoice for months. But there are way’s around such clients/issues that I would not dare write here, all I can tell you is I got him bad :-) What about “The A$$*(^$”, the kinds that refuse to pay after the work is complete! Luckily I have had just one such client, this guy used aliases to contract work as a not-for-profit and on completion disappeared. He never replied to my emails or never acknowledged the invoice for months. But there are way’s around such clients/issues that I would not dare write here, all I can tell you is I got him bad :-)

]]> By: Paul http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-260 Paul Tue, 22 May 2007 20:31:57 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-260 Hi J David! Fortunatley, I've always found that I can persuade the client to see things my way - even if it's only partially my way! But then I've always been a good salesman! ;) Hi J David! Fortunatley, I’ve always found that I can persuade the client to see things my way - even if it’s only partially my way! But then I’ve always been a good salesman! ;)

]]> By: J David http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-259 J David Tue, 22 May 2007 20:27:34 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-259 How about those people who know what they want, but it is basically design crap... I hate myself for putting up those designs, but I want to please the client. How about those people who know what they want, but it is basically design crap… I hate myself for putting up those designs, but I want to please the client.

]]> By: What Makes a Successful Designer? at reflections http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-232 What Makes a Successful Designer? at reflections Tue, 22 May 2007 10:29:33 +0000 http://paulenderson.com/2007/05/19/screaming-at-clients/#comment-232 [...] [Thanks to Mike, Charity, Tara, Lisa, David Zemen, Paul Johns and Paul B for some fantastic comments on my last post] [...] […] [Thanks to Mike, Charity, Tara, Lisa, David Zemen, Paul Johns and Paul B for some fantastic comments on my last post] […]

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