Re: FLASH: Clients not paying for jobs

[brzys]

Agreed Tony99, except for one point and one or two other comments.


50% up front, at signing the contract. The remainder at the completion.

I'm not saying that most clients are out to leave you high and dry. I'm

saying communicate with that client, keep your door open.


Talk to your client, always keep the conversation going. Even if you hate

the design, it's what they wanted, give them what they want. Don't worry

about it, laugh all the way to the bank, chock it up to a learning

experience.


Big point here, don't give the final version until you've talked to the

client. It's your work, even if you don't like the results, It's still your

work. Stand behind it. Demand the final payment for the final work.


When it comes right down to it, if the working model has been posted to the

web, and they want the final version they're going to have to pay for it.


It may not be the most polite way of doing business, but it's business none

the less. You've signed off on a contract and so did they. Yes it's your

work, but when it comes down to it, it's a product, your product. You must

be paid for your product.


Just an example you may say: "Here's your final version, and you can have

it, when you've paid the remainder of the cost that we agreed on in the

contract!" and "Once I have that check in hand, I'll post the final version

to the web!"


Yes, I've had to play the bad guy(gal), and no I don't like doing it, but

sometimes it just has to be done.


While working with my clients I get to know them a bit. I chit chat with

them prior to working on the project and continuing throughout the project.

I'm building a relationship with my client, and it's a lot easier to work

with them if you're in communication with them on a daily basis if possible.

(a friend of mine calls this schmoozing, schmooze that client Mar!") i.e.:

"So how's it going over there?, Beautiful weather we're having eh?, well

spring is differently in the air.....". It may be schmoozing but everyone

talks about the weather, it's just the way people are.


Yes it's a business relationship and even if it's only short term, it works

better for both parties.


I hope this helps you.


cYa,


Mary Brzys


----- Original Message -----

From: T1 <

tony99texas [dot] net

>

To: <

flasherchinwag [dot] com

>

Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2000 12:49 AM

Subject: Re: FLASH: Clients not paying for jobs



> Grant,

>

> Agreed, you gotta cover yourself in the beginning.

>

> 50% up-front deposit

> 25% upon completion & before transfering ownership

> 25% 2 weeks after launch

>

> ( When dealing with lawyers ( or clients with a litigous history ( do the

> research!! ))  I increase my rate by $25 hourly, require 75% deposit up

> front, and 25% (+ additional off-spec work upon closing), and include an

> arbitrator clause for settlement.)

>

> I try to cover all of my hourly resources (& some padding) in the first

75%

> of the bid so if they do flake out you don't take a loss.  the remaining

> payment of 25% covers close to half of my taxes.

>

> There is so much work out there it is to your disadvantage to take a

project

> if they are not comfortable with the terms.

>

> :)

>

> T

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> flasher is generously supported by...

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>      flashforward2000 and The Flash Film Festival

>   "The World's Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

>  March 27-29, Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco, California

>

> -Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

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flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     flashforward2000 and The Flash Film Festival

  "The World�s Premier Flash Solutions Conference and Expo"

 March 27-29, Nob Hill Masonic Center, San Francisco, California


-Register before Feb 25 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

helpchinwag [dot] com