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September 23, 2019 at 12:09 am #1221265Up::0Tom ISW, post: 267180, member: 54379 wrote:Yes of course! Thanks for the advice too.
Hey Tom,
Great thread – I’ve posted as an article on FS too and will push out on Facebook. Looks like you’re getting some great tips below, too.September 24, 2019 at 1:09 am #1221266Up::0Thanks [USER=98720]@Lucy Kippist[/USER]!
Just an update: I sent the letter last Friday. My invoice is now 12 days overdue and I’ve not heard a peep from the client – not anyone in their organisation.
September 24, 2019 at 1:22 am #1221267September 24, 2019 at 1:32 am #1221268Up::0Tom ISW, post: 267249, member: 54379 wrote:Thanks [USER=98720]@Lucy Kippist[/USER]!Just an update: I sent the letter last Friday. My invoice is now 12 days overdue and I’ve not heard a peep from the client – not anyone in their organisation.
Sadly. this isnt always an indicator that they are running.. Although it is sometimes those either too embarrassed to face up to the fact they cant meet their obligation or dont have an answer.. Bit like putting their head in the sand
Hoping this is all it is… and they will pay… Although it is starting to look like a pattern that one may not want to engage with any further…
J
Jason Ramage | Lucas Arthur Pty Ltd | E: hello@lucasarthur.net.au P: 61 3 8324 0344 M: 61 412 244 888September 24, 2019 at 2:08 am #1221269Up::0Just an update: I sent the letter last Friday. My invoice is now 12 days overdue and I’ve not heard a peep from the client – not anyone in their organisation.
Why would you? When they have a history of being late – 12 days is nothing.
This stuff doesn’t get resolved by letter. Get on the phone, keep at them until you get to speak to someone. No threats, just the facts of being a small business and not their banker – perhaps not in so many words. Pain in the backside, but probably save you a whole lot of trouble in the future.
Get the money first, then adjust the payment terms to “take it or leave it”.
If this is agreeable to you please let me know.
Why should they have the choice? They are the party ignoring the arrangement.
September 24, 2019 at 2:33 am #1221270Up::0Tom ISW, post: 267249, member: 54379 wrote:Thanks [USER=98720]@Lucy Kippist[/USER]!Just an update: I sent the letter last Friday. My invoice is now 12 days overdue and I’ve not heard a peep from the client – not anyone in their organisation.
Sorry but it’s your own fault, it’s being going on for a long time, you have let them get away with it, by delivering on schedule with your next job.
You have set the standard by constantly allowing them to deliver late ($’s), why would they pay on time, they know you will meet their schedule.
Another sucker born every day. Harsh I know, but from an outsiders perspective thats what it looks like.
September 24, 2019 at 4:56 am #1221271Up::0but something we have generally all done at some point. live and learn
Helping build better businesses and better lives with expert financial and taxation advice. info@360partners.com.au www.360partners.com.au 03 9005 4900September 24, 2019 at 8:14 am #1221272Up::0Hi [USER=53375]@bb1[/USER] ,
I appreciate the sentiment of your comments but taking on new clients tends to be a very complicated dance and trust is a major component of that.
There are lots of businesses where immediate payment is a given and they do not have to consider how to deal with these problems but when you typically do business with terms and invoices, life becomes complicated very quickly.
Often, with each passing day.
I had a light bulb moment with one customer where I went from considering an invoice sent as money in the bank to thinking, if I, provide any more service, I will lose more money on this customer than I already have (one born every minute).
As a naturally trusting person, this was hard for me to get my head around.
To “live and learn” as [USER=5318]@JamesMillar[/USER] says, the imperative for me was to develop a set of processes and rules around late payments.
I am sure [USER=54379]@Tom ISW[/USER] will make adjustments that will mean there will be less chance of this happening in the future.
September 30, 2019 at 2:18 am #1221273Up::0Hi all,
I finally got paid the other day. The client apologised, and I told him I’d have to adjust our terms in the future – payment up front – if we wanted to work together again. He seemed indifferent to the proposal but said “fair enough.” We’ll see what happens.
[USER=78928]@Paul – FS Concierge[/USER] I was naturally trusting too. Though some recent experiences have led me to demand money up front before getting to work.
I don’t mind sharing this, but a few months ago a prospect approached me asking for some work on a letter. They gave me a very clear go-ahead in writing saying they “needed it immediately”, but didn’t pay my deposit invoice straight away.
Trying to be a “good” copywriter, I wrote the letter anyway and sent it to them. In the intervening three or four days they’d changed their mind, saying they didn’t need it any more. I thought I was entitled to payment, but in fact I wasn’t, since my website said I don’t do work unless I’m paid first (funny how past me was more level headed) – my own eagerness to please was turned against me. They insisted they never used the letter, but then again, I couldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them. In the immortal words of Alanis Morissette, “You live, you learn.”
[USER=53375]@bb1[/USER] I’d agree with you – if this happened to someone else, I’d wonder why this person did work out of the kindness of his own heart before getting any money down.
This “delinquent” client was brought on board before this “wake-up call” which requires all new clients to sign or tick an agreement stating they’ve read and agreed to all the terms in my proposal; work does not commence until a deposit is received; and requests for items not explicitly laid out in the scope of work will be charged accordingly.
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