What I’m reading: Inishfallen, Fare Thee Well by Sean O’Casey
What’s on the iPod: Almost Famous by Eminem
Yesterday started a bit shakily. I’d called my dad to wish him happy birthday (77 years young), and as I was talking to my mom, I started getting that moving light in my eyes. Great. Migraine. (No, Mom wasn’t the cause!) Luckily, lying down with a cold washcloth over the eyes and the head elevated did the trick. Twenty minutes tops and I was back up and working.
Got a small project completed, then I got some much-needed desk cleaning out of the way. Then I marketed. I refused to get up from the desk until I had contacted at least two clients with project proposals. I managed to do that, plus I sent out some greetings via LinkedIn and Twitter.
If you’re wondering about the title of this post, it’s not to announce the annual organized madness that happens in Pamplona. No, instead I’m bracing for a bull of a different sort to hit me broadside. Remember the client who hasn’t reviewed/gotten back to me on the project I’d sent nearly a month ago? I reread the “group” note in detail. And now on top of being ticked, I’m seeing very clearly what’s coming. The note detailed some obscure acquisition that we writers are supposed to remain mum about (not that I noticed anyway), a mention of more assignments but the same budget (hmm) and several mentions of how we writers are making errors.
Can you smell it? Yes, that smells like an out to me. Call me a double-dipped cynic, but any time a direct email is answered with a group email, I count one red flag. When that’s followed by mention of corporate changes, I see another flag. When that news is accompanied by a somewhat confusing explanation of new assignments but the same budget, I see red flags waving furiously. Then toss on that little gem of a “some of you are making errors” statement and I’m already dialing my local courthouse to get my nonpayment claim filed.
It may be in the 90s here, but I’m seeing the snow (job). You have no idea how much I hope I’m wrong, but here it is five days after I wrote to the client and still no word on where my project stands or what that final word count is. Do I see that check arriving any time soon? It has the same chance as a snowball surviving on my sidewalk right now.
If I were new to this freelance stuff, I wouldn’t know that I should:
Contact the client via phone. I’ve had no phone contact with him, but it’s damned hard to ignore someone on the other end of the phone. I may not hear what I like, but if he answers, I’ll at least hear something besides panic and back-peddling. Or maybe that’s all I’ll hear.
Resend the invoice with a late fee: His lack of attention to my project is not something I can hurry along. However, late fees tend to get attention and may help in some way get some resolution, good or bad.
Avoid the emotional chatter. There isn’t any indication that the client is an emotional manipulator, but avoiding my direct question is a hint of someone not playing by the rules. Unless he sets my house on fire and the check he owes me is in it, he’s getting nothing but facts right back at him. Fact: The project was handed in a month ago. Fact: you’ve yet to give me final word count or feedback. Fact: We have a contract, and unless you pay me, I’m not obligated to sit and wait. Fact: If I get no response in the next week, I’ll take the project elsewhere.
Not care if the relationship is blown. I used to care, but that was before entirely too many former clients tried to stall, cajole, guilt, or lie their way out of payment. If I get no satisfaction, I’m yanking my project and going elsewhere with it. And yes, I have a home for it.
Enforce my payment process. That means litigation should the invoice go untouched once the edits are completed. I don’t think we’ll get to that point with this client. I’m at that point in the career where only the serious clients need apply. The rest can go yank the chains of those who aren’t yet sick of their nonsense.
How do you halt the running of the bull?
7 responses to “The Running of the Bull”
Oh to have your fortitude, Lori! I'm still in the learning stages with that one, and have played ostrich on too many occassions when I being manipulated or lied to. The problem is, not taking action hit me in the wallet….
Damaria, I used to do that, too. What changed for me was when I realized I was trying to preserve a relationship that had no trust and no future. Then it became much more important that I press the payment issue. It becomes clear when I client is avoiding payment. When that happens, you should erase in your mind the thought of them as repeat business. They're now a liability.
There was only one time I got caught in something like this, It was early in my freelancing career when I was hired for three articles for a health-related online magazine.
It was supposed to be an ongoing monthly assignment. After the 1st one, I advised I would not be continuing. What I thought was an "okay" reimbursement turned out to be pittance due to the amount of research required. The topics were highly technical and I was assigned 3 articles on Friday for delivery on Monday.
Anyway, my invoice was sent and I waited, and waited. Then came the official company email that they valued us, blah, blah, blah, but two major clients defaulted on their agreement and another terminated. Their cash flow took a major hit. They were working on major deals and hoped to pay us soon. Isn't that sweet?
We got a similar email the next month and then the emails stopped.
What they owed me wasn't huge. After six months, I was finally paid. They got bought by someone and *drum roll* contacted me with a new assignment. Uh, no…
Hi Lori.
Trust your gut on the red flags. You know what you're doing.
You're right. In the beginning, I was painfully nice. Now, I'm willing to cut ties when I sense trouble. Twice I've had to do it.
Once, the guy became three months behind on payments, and he finally said he "wanted to get me something." Nope. Sorry. Eventually, he paid. The lesson: Don't work for startups. They're almost always underfunded, and they somehow think you've got to share in the sacrifice of starting. Again, nope. I have enough risk as a small-business owner.
The second time, the editor kept changing the topic based on the publisher's whims. For the third time, nope. The lesson: You can't win when the client doesn't know what he wants.
I think both situations tie into your comment: "I was trying to preserve a relationship that had no trust and no future." Absolutely. When you sense your client is willing to jerk you around, why continue? It's a no-win.
I'll just count my blessings that I haven't had to chase down a nonpaying client. Yet. I have become more sensitive to the red flags though, and I head for the hills. It sure would be nice if these PITA clients would offer up the red flags *before* we writers start on the project, eh?
I'm glad you have another place to send your project, and I hope this mess is resolved without too much more trouble on your part.
I tend to give folks the benefit of the doubt. Once. After that I send regular reminders that grow increasingly terse. Most places will pay fairly quickly once you point out the problem, but in this economy there will always be those types who think ignoring a debt will make it go away.
I'm happy to say that for the first time in six months, I'm not waiting for any past-due invoices to be paid.
BTW, Lori – the interviews/work/house repairs worked out well. Miraculously. The repairman left about 45 minutes before my big interview, and that interview wrapped five minutes before some long-time friends stopped by unexpectedly.
Cathy, it's the same garbage just repackaged and rebranded, isn't it?One time I was contacted by the company president – I thought it was about my invoice that was three months overdue. Nope. He was all excited because I was being given the opportunity to "roll over" that missing payment into my entry into his affiliate marketing program! Woo hoo! What's more, that amount he owed me – which was substantial – wasn't enough to cover the entry fee. I would have ended up owing him $500.
Guess what I said to that? LOL
Gabriella, that's been my experience, too. Many startups – not all – have no concept or budget allowances for or ideas on how to work with contractors. They spend on all the stupid stuff – the best of everything. But when it comes to design and writing, "Gee, we're out of money, so you'll have to amend your price."
I've learned to say "I can't do that, so you can just get in touch when you are able to attain adequate funding for the project."
Sometimes they do show signs, Ashley. Sometimes those flags are waving like Old Glory in a hurricane, but we choose not to notice. Yet there are those ones who are tough to spot. This one was tough. He came recommended by another writer.
Yay, Paula! Glad the interviews and repair people coordinated. How often does THAT happen?!