On 2/18/05 8:58 AM, Lynch, Jonathan wrote:
When I was a freelance videographer, I got burned once after giving a guy a music video I created for him before getting full payment.
He never paid me. It was a small, simple project, and it was only $400 dollars that I got shafted out of, but I learned from that lesson. From then on, the client got the finished product when I got the final payment. I was nice (even apologetic) about it, but very strict about that rule.
If you create an application for someone, and periodically e-mail an updated version of the incomplete app to them, to make sure you are creating exactly what they want, then how do you prevent them from just keeping the last incomplete version, using that, and not giving final payment?
Yes, you could always sue them, but that is such a mess.
Also, how do you ensure that they do not change their mind and decide they don't want it at the last minute, after you have put great work into it?
Or - are these things not really problems because they happen too rarely to be a concern?
Maybe I've just been lucky, but in the 18 years I've been doing this I have only been burned once, and that wasn't for a huge sum (big enough to make me mad though.) I tried collecting for six months, then converted to Richard's view and just gave it up.
I do what others have suggested. I used to have big contracts too but now I don't unless someone specifically wants it. I charge by milestone and if they don't pay, they don't get any more software.
I have only had two clients who I didn't completely trust (unwarranted, as it turns out,) and I put "expiration dates" on those deliveries. I explained that I was very proud of my work and I refused to let substandard software be released. I told them that when we were absolutely sure the software was working correctly, I would remove the "beta" designation and the expiration. Of course, the removal didn't happen until the final payment was received. I told them both in advance that I would be doing this, and they didn't seem to mind since I made it sound like I did that for everyone.
I charge a portion of the fee to start work unless it is someone I have had a previous working relationship with. With those people, I am very flexible.
I think that most people are basically honest if you are honest with them. Many of my clients come back for other projects.
-- Jacqueline Landman Gay | [EMAIL PROTECTED] HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list [email protected] http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
