In October, I did some work for a client that I've worked with for many years. The relationship is casual, and I enjoy her as a person quite a bit, but today. Ugh. I'm just filled with disappointment.
Upon her request, I revamped her website. It wasn't the biggest project on the planet, but it was a $1k or so when all was said and done. In preparing for the holiday season, of course it was "rush rush rush" -- I must have received 20 emails a day if I received one with, "One more thing ..." requests. Which I honored. And by working a couple of late nights, I got it all done and right on time. (She gave me a firm deadline.)
Then I sent the bill.
And well, it just sort of sucked because the response I got was, "Can I have 30 days, please please please ... cash flow is tight right now because sales are low." Which really isn't my problem the way I look at it. And it isn't how I roll. I always require a deposit before I do work, but with her -- it just looked like $100 worth of quick web updates in the initial ... but she's scattered and unorganized and "one more thing one more thing" and pretty soon it was a HUGE task.
The topper? She was leaving for a three week European vacation the following day. She knew I knew this, so she gave some excuse about how her husband was financing the trip -- what. ever. (The year before she was late on her bill, but then introduced me to her new expensive pure breed puppy that she flew to the east coast to pick up just that month.)
And so ok. I can handle it, I've had to work around bigger problems with bigger bills that weren't paid on time. But not really. I mean. That's my paycheck. I have bills to pay.
It's been over 30 days and I haven't heard from her. I know this is oh so tacky to discuss money, it always makes me feel uncomfortable, but dammit! I am putting Christmas presents on my credit cards and working double time to make up for having to play BANK for a client. I turned down other jobs so I could take care of her. Other PAYING jobs.
I shouldn't be thinking of how I am going to work around not having that money, I just shouldn't. It's not fair. I've never once done this to anybody I've hired, and I would never.
Anyway. I hate complaining about this stuff, I really do. I am a positive person, or I try to be. But sometimes people just anger me. *growl*
I know she'll honor the bill ... eventually. Maybe when holiday sales pick up. But I know one thing, I'll have to bug her endlessly to get it. I always do.
Over the years I've gotten much better about how I handle my business, this doesn't happen to me anymore because I am meticulous about contracts and consideration. But she's a ghost from the past, and even though I've explained all of this and even tried to refer her to somebody else, she refuses to go to another designer and will bug bug bug me until I do the work.
I wrote her a response over 30 days ago and told her exactly how this affects me, no response to that.
It's just really disappointing that people will knowingly hire you, crank on pressure and ask you to do this work for them KNOWING they have no money to pay the bill. And what sort of hurts is that we have this long-term relationship and she knows that I go the extra mile for her.
What is up with that?
It makes me feel like a sucker, but I refuse to blame myself (which I always do). I just needed to get this off my chest is all.
*deep breath*
Thank you for listening.
Upon her request, I revamped her website. It wasn't the biggest project on the planet, but it was a $1k or so when all was said and done. In preparing for the holiday season, of course it was "rush rush rush" -- I must have received 20 emails a day if I received one with, "One more thing ..." requests. Which I honored. And by working a couple of late nights, I got it all done and right on time. (She gave me a firm deadline.)
Then I sent the bill.
And well, it just sort of sucked because the response I got was, "Can I have 30 days, please please please ... cash flow is tight right now because sales are low." Which really isn't my problem the way I look at it. And it isn't how I roll. I always require a deposit before I do work, but with her -- it just looked like $100 worth of quick web updates in the initial ... but she's scattered and unorganized and "one more thing one more thing" and pretty soon it was a HUGE task.
The topper? She was leaving for a three week European vacation the following day. She knew I knew this, so she gave some excuse about how her husband was financing the trip -- what. ever. (The year before she was late on her bill, but then introduced me to her new expensive pure breed puppy that she flew to the east coast to pick up just that month.)
And so ok. I can handle it, I've had to work around bigger problems with bigger bills that weren't paid on time. But not really. I mean. That's my paycheck. I have bills to pay.
It's been over 30 days and I haven't heard from her. I know this is oh so tacky to discuss money, it always makes me feel uncomfortable, but dammit! I am putting Christmas presents on my credit cards and working double time to make up for having to play BANK for a client. I turned down other jobs so I could take care of her. Other PAYING jobs.
I shouldn't be thinking of how I am going to work around not having that money, I just shouldn't. It's not fair. I've never once done this to anybody I've hired, and I would never.
Anyway. I hate complaining about this stuff, I really do. I am a positive person, or I try to be. But sometimes people just anger me. *growl*
I know she'll honor the bill ... eventually. Maybe when holiday sales pick up. But I know one thing, I'll have to bug her endlessly to get it. I always do.
Over the years I've gotten much better about how I handle my business, this doesn't happen to me anymore because I am meticulous about contracts and consideration. But she's a ghost from the past, and even though I've explained all of this and even tried to refer her to somebody else, she refuses to go to another designer and will bug bug bug me until I do the work.
I wrote her a response over 30 days ago and told her exactly how this affects me, no response to that.
It's just really disappointing that people will knowingly hire you, crank on pressure and ask you to do this work for them KNOWING they have no money to pay the bill. And what sort of hurts is that we have this long-term relationship and she knows that I go the extra mile for her.
What is up with that?
It makes me feel like a sucker, but I refuse to blame myself (which I always do). I just needed to get this off my chest is all.
*deep breath*
Thank you for listening.
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