>That would be my choice, but put into the contract that you can
>do this and can stop working until you receive payment. Tell them
>that you have no reason to distrust them, but that you've been
>burned before and your lawyer insists that you do it this way.
>
>After a couple of weeks of satisfactory payment, back off
>to billing them monthly and accepting payment within 30 days.
>(The contract shouldn't REQUIRE you to do weekly invoicing
>and stop work until paid, but only give you that option.)
>Specify in the contract a reasonable interest rate for bills
>more than 30 days old, say 18% APR, so that they'll have some
>incentive to pay.
>
>Companies take risks, and you are -- formally or informally --
>operating as a company just as they are. Your rates should have
>taken into account the possibility that customers will stiff you
>and go bankrupt. I'm personally uncomfortable with demanding
>payment up front; it just doesn't feel "business-like."
Bob, I appreciate your comments. I would only say that, for the past 3
years, I have been building web sites for small businesses and individuals,
and in every case, I have required 50% in advance. I've never had a problem
with this.
I was just asking about working on contract for another web company because
it was different from what I have been doing, and I was interested in
other's experiences.
I think it is entirely acceptable to require payment up front because I am
a freelance developer, not a company or multi-person business. In fact, my
wife, who works for an internet software development company that has been
in business for over 3 years and employs more than 20 people, tells me that
they require some percentage up front from all clients regardless of size
or the size of the project. If they don't, they sometimes get burned.
Payment up front in this business seems pretty standard.
Barry
--
Barry Lee Brisco <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Web Design & Development - Online Marketing <http://www.ToTheWeb.com>
Web portfolio at <http://www.ToTheWeb.com/portfolio.html>
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