What’s on the iPod: Just Another Girl by Pete Yorn
Interesting day yesterday. I had a conference call with my clients to clear up some projet inconsistencies, which went very well. I had just hung up the phone when an email came in on a project bid. The prospective client asked for an IM chat. After a little futzing with the IM program (I use it so infrequently that I have to reacquaint myself every time), we got down to chatting.
The project is straightforward and the requirements were pretty minor. The price seemed acceptable, though just slightly lower than ideal. I was okay with it. Per usual, I sent my follow-up email restating what we’d discussed and doing a cut-and-paste of everything, including the price. That’s where it got interesting.
The rate changed. Not a minor change, either. It went from just barely acceptable to are-you-freakin’-kidding-me low. Why the sudden change? No idea and frankly I didn’t waste time asking, but I’m very glad I sent that follow-up email. I thanked the client and told him the rate was now out of my usual range.
Frankly, even if the rate was still in my ballpark, any sudden changes like that would throw up a red flag for me. I’m willing to negotiate. I’m not willing to have three different prices (yes, there were three now) quoted, with me wondering exactly what the job pays. If it’s not intentionally so, it’s still deceptive. No thanks.
At the early stages of this negotiation, I was able to combat the rapid changes and walk away. But what happens if this goes on while you’re right in the middle of completing the project?
Contracts. If you have a contract, it voids the contract, which means you’re owed the face value of said contract, and you’re released from further obligation until the clients come up with a new contract for you.
If you have no contract, shame on you and pity that, for you’re out both the money and the job. And if you continue without the contract and try to meet these new terms, shame on you twice and no pity given, for you’ve just entered the morphing-project vortex. This won’t be the first change, and I can almost bet you won’t see a dime owed you, if in fact that project ever ends.
What saves you when the rules change? When was the last time they did?
8 responses to “When the Rules Change”
Contract, contract, contract. ESPECIALLY if it's a friend, family member, or someone referred by a family member, because they tend to think they should only pay if they happen to feel like it in the moment.
I agree. I ALWAYS have a contract, no matter what-or-who.
Funny, I had a similar thing happen to me yesterday. Was there a full moon? But, mine worked out. There was a series of back and forth emails about the scope-the word count kept getting smaller. I finally advised that I wouldn't take on projects that were less than X dollars (I just don't find it productive to do a bunch of small "onesies" since the bulk of my work consists of larger projects).
They accepted that and I now have an ongoing monthly project at an acceptable rate.
Man, do I hate it when unexpected things come up. My biggest headache would have to be the website owner who cotracts for a project, pays half upfront and then sells the site in the middle of me working on the material.
The new owner feels since they didn't contract for it, they can re-negotiate to what they would like. I'm all for negotiating, but not when the changes take it into an entirely different direction and I end up majorly short-changed for my time and effort.
In this case, since I knew the forums where the original owner hung out, I was able to get the remaining balance and they got the project as was contracted.
I had a feeling I'd read something about this today! 🙂
Yes, contracts are definitely a butt-saver. But I'll admit, I'm horrible at using them. I trust too easily. (You can tell I haven't been burned yet.) The only time I actually put a contract together, I never heard from the client again. So I guess I actually saved myself a lot of time and frustration by NOT getting that client. He was a friend, too! Well, at least I thought he was. So that'll be my New Year resolution – get a contract every time.
And by the way, am I the only one who feels like IM is a waste of time? I type fast, but I talk faster, so phone calls can typically go more quickly. Or is it the written/logging aspect of the IM that's appealing?
Ashley, you're psychic. 🙂
I think IM is a waste. Yesterday's chat consisted of "Can you tell me about the job and the requirements?" and his "Can you do these things?" We still had to move it to email. Total waste of time. Just start and end in email. When negotiating with someone over price, I'd rather not do it over the phone (for the reasons shown in the post – the price always changes).
Devon, even my mother would have to sign a contract. 🙂
Cathy, there WAS a full moon! Glad you could work it out. I'm just not in the mood to negotiate with price changers. Word-count changers – in your case with the count decreasing, sure. But if I'm being paid $100 a post and the word count has gone from 500 to 1,500, forget it.
Am I being paranoid in thinking some people might insist on IM negotiations because they're hoping the person won't copy & paste or save the discussion so there's no (virtual) paper trail?
One friend used to IM me all the time. Someone with a "full time" on-site job, yet only IM'd during business hours. I usually said, "Sorry, I'm working. Can't chat." After a while I had to add, "I don't get paid just for showing up… if I don't finish my work I won't be paid." Now that her boss has left and there's a new micro-manager in town, no more IMs (just a couple of e-mails a day – often about how difficult it is dealing with the new micromanager).
It doesn't help that my IM is soooo slow. It can take 1-2 minutes for a short sentence I typed to show upon the screen. Not a fan.
I think that's a healthy paranoia to have, Paula. Luckily though, IM chats can be saved (apparently – I wouldn't know personally). I'm just a stickler for copying and pasting every last conversation having to do with work anyway.
I didn't get into IMs because they are such time sinks. I'm able to ignore emails until I'm able to answer – not so with chat.
I find IMing, Facebook etc. annoying and ends up being a waste of time with too many people coming to have a chat and almost none business related!
If possible, I do everything I can to avoid using any of these options to communicate, getting side-tracked is just too easy. But that's just me…