Comments on:

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:17:00 +0000

Oh Grace, I’m so sorry! What a complete putz! Do yourself a huge favor – disengage. Do not let yourself be pulled into his emotional tactics (his calling into question your speed or your abilities). Don’t be swayed by his nonsense plea for pity (or his intentional guilt trip, for that matter). Read only this: “You have commited work therefore I owe you money. I will arrange to get you paid via paypal within one month.” It’s all that’s relevant here. And it shall be a good point in court, should it come to that.

By: Grace

Grace — Tue, 22 May 2007 03:50:00 +0000

i agree with all of this - what a great post!

herewith an email i just received from one supposed 'employer' in NY. he was a hopeless communicator, and made it clear in earlier email conversations that he had an anger problem, this email was in response to a deliberately casual request for long-promised payment, now about 6 weeks overdue.:

"Sadly enough I do not have a use for your work anymore. It is just not efficent enough for me. and takes way too long to get out of you.

However, You have commited work therefore I owe you money. I will arrange to get you paid via paypal within one month, SOMEHOW." (HIS emphasis)

uuauuuaaugh! i NEED the money - AND i suggested to him that he pay me only HALF of what he offered. i did this in the hope of getting SOMETHING/anything - rather than nothing (which is all i now expect).

By: OldSageHand

OldSageHand — Mon, 21 May 2007 18:59:00 +0000

I’m with Purli. Sign and hand over first payment. My phone call policy was discussed at the first meeting. I did NOT answer the phone in the morning,only returned calls between 3pm and 5pm. If they had a problem, they left a message and I’d get back to them with the info. Made everything smoother.

I let my clients know up front that I was running a business with business hours — just like them. Messages were checked whenever I wanted to, but I didn’t TALK with them until Monday. Made MY life smoother.

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 21 May 2007 13:28:00 +0000

Devon, I LOVE how you think! :)

Luckily, these clients are NOT the norm. When they do appear, their behavior is the most newsworthy. :)

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Fri, 18 May 2007 19:18:00 +0000

Each potential client should have to SIGN this and turn over the first payment, simultaneously!

By: Irreverent Freelancer

Irreverent Freelancer — Fri, 18 May 2007 16:59:00 +0000

Oh yeah, definitely my kind of post! I’m one of those freelancers who avoids the phone as much as possible, so fortunately I don’t run in to the ill-timed and frequent whine-and-moan sessions. It’s just easier to ignore them when they come via email.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 18 May 2007 13:12:00 +0000

Mike and April, I hear you! I’ve heard that lame “check’s on its way” story too many times to believe it. It’s usually coupled with the “inventing problems” one, too. Had one client who loved everything I did until I tacked on the late fee. Then suddenly the entire project sucked from start to finish. And he thought I was fooled by that – go figure!

Julia, I know. It’s too true, isn’t it?

Alicia, I’m with you. TELL me you want something different and I’ll work to give you that. Perhaps because clients’ own egos are connected to their writing, they’re reluctant to approach us. Little do they know we’ve separated ego from work ages ago! LOL

By: alicia

alicia — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:48:00 +0000

Awesome list, Lori. #5 hit home for me, as I dealt with it in every sense it could have been dealth with almost a year ago. Hopefully clients will see your post.

By: April

April — Fri, 18 May 2007 04:49:00 +0000

Great post! I am dealing with #3 as well. I never had a problem with getting paid before and it seems to have hit me all at once.
And on the phone call front, I don’t answer calls from anyone that late. It’s funny, most of the people who call us only happens when they want something AND either too early or too late. Lovely.

By: Julia Temlyn

Julia Temlyn — Fri, 18 May 2007 03:40:00 +0000

I love this! What a great post, and sadly much of it is true. You worded your responses wonderfully, though, and we can only hope that they might start listening!