Need advice on whether to take job or walk away

[Bustnjordoe]

Ok... Here is the deal. I have a potential client right now and we are in the contract negotiating faze and they have come back with some serious cuts in the budget, as I would of course expect from any client. The job is a cost, well, let's just use an example as $X. I managed to cut $X off because of the markup margin. Now, they are asking for an additional $X off. My thoughts are HA! Yea Right! I also get that infamous promise of more work for me through out the year.

There are many more details, but to sum it up from here: They want to get a whole lot of work with a big fat discount, not to mention they want me to waive my web management fee for an entire year which includes some pretty phat benefits. I am starting to feel even though the quoted amount looks nice as a whole, it just doesn't sit right when I lay out the payment structure they present me with, I can make more money getting more clients and doing nowhere nearly as difficult work in the same amount of time. I want to get your opinions if I should do it or walk away. I feel I should walk and that my answer is right in front of me, but I want to hear your thoughts.

[hank_scorpio]

Are you charging them or are they telling you what they will pay?

I think you are charging them for a service not the other way around.

[DesignVHL]

Sounds like they could be a problem client. If they are promising you more work, tell them you will grant them a discount for the NEXT project.

[Bustnjordoe]

Originally Posted by DesignVHL

Sounds like they could be a problem client. If they are promising you more work, tell them you will grant them a discount for the NEXT project.

It's beginning to feel that way. I was looking to negotiate with future projects and having disclaimers that they have to guarantee so much work in writing, but it just seems like as you said, "could be a problem client"

[Bustnjordoe]

I am charging them but they are trying to call the shots and I told them flat out at our last meeting that I couldn't do some of the requests they had. I presented them with a quote and they are trying to spread out the payments.

[Kool]

Originally Posted by Bustnjordoe

Now, they are asking for an additional $X off. My thoughts are HA! Yea Right! I also get that infamous promise of more work for me through out the year.

The famous carrot and stick routine LOL. Here is a way to handle this part of it if you choose to deal with them. Tell them you will give them the discount but they will need to pay the full cost of the first job then you will prorate the discount of XX% or XX dollars off of the future jobs till you reach the agreed upon discount. If there really are future work then they should find this agreeable. If it is BS then they will balk.

[Bustnjordoe]

Originally Posted by Kool

The famous carrot and stick routine LOL. Here is a way to handle this part of it if you choose to deal with them. Tell them you will give them the discount but they will need to pay the full cost of the first job then you will prorate the discount of XX% or XX dollars off of the future jobs till you reach the agreed upon discount. If there really are future work then they should find this agreeable. If it is BS then they will balk.

I like your methods. lol

[DesignVHL]

Great idea Kool. to the OP: Do you have a contract written up with this client which lays out all the terms & conditions, and the scope of the project?

[Bustnjordoe]

Originally Posted by DesignVHL

Great idea Kool. to the OP: Do you have a contract written up with this client which lays out all the terms & conditions, and the scope of the project?

That I do and it isn't a friendly one at that. I made sure to cover my a$$. There are too many dirty business people here.

[Bustnjordoe]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, just one question. If it were you, would you drop it or move forward?