Craig Ramsay Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I have a client who I am working on a project for. I have worked for this client before and he is always very happy with the work. I have got to the stage where he has been sent the final drafts for approval, this was a couple of weeks ago and I have not heard back from him. I have tried calling and have e-mailed several times... obviously I'd like to get the project wrapped up. I have never been in this situation before and find it very strange. Would you guys recommend sending an interim invoice for the work carried out so far if I still have no response from him in say a weeks time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinhtuan Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I dont think the client who we work for several time before hidden like this, Maybe he have problem like accident, sick ... God bless him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronll Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I have this sentence in my contract. "Projects delayed beyond the control of (my company) may be billed hourly for work completed." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dollus Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 An invoice for substantial completion should help them communicate better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbowers Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Always keep record of the day you send your invoice, and the day you receive payment. Most of the time from the day i send out the bill i mark 30-35 days on the calendar when i should receive it. If that milestone has been passed and no word then i promptly send a reminder letter with the invoice attached Send the invoice through regular mail. If there is still no communication, then send it certified. This will ensure he's received and you get notice of him receiving it. If he refuses to pick it up, then send a sign-upon delivery certified letter. If he refuses to sign for a certified letter then you may have some bigger problems to worry about. Don't jump down his throat just yet. Some of my richest clients are lousy payers. If your worried that he's gonna stiff you then just make sure you get a paper trail started. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Twyman Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Hi, Does sound strange if you have worked with them before and had no problems. Perhaps they are sick or had an accident! (or gone on holiday and not bothered to tell you) Is there anyway you can try contacting someone else to see what is going on? I think like you say I would just give em a little longer then send the invoice, not a lot else you can do till they are late paying (hopefully it will not get to that) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antisthenes Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 check the obituaries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Ramsay Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 Well they are definitely in the office, just always going to voicemail. I'll see if I can contact someone else tomorrow, if not I'll send them an invoice for the hours worked so far on the project. If they want the project completed they will have to get back to me with comments on the last set of renders. Cheers guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Homeless Guy Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 It is fairly common for projects to be put on hold, or delayed. The case could be that they are not even sure when the deadlines now are. Still, they should be responsible, and get back to you. Billing them for hours worked is probably best because chances are, if the deadline is delayed, the design will probably develop some more in the mean time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ky Lane Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Go knock on his door? Or better yet, do what I do, and send the lads 'round Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnvid Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Hi Craig, I am in a similar position, cant offer a solution but if you give me the telephone number and some details I would call him from this town, lets see if he answers an incoming number from another town,he might have your number on showing when you call, then maybe you could do the same to my client. ou call hi see if it answers then straight after I would do the same... Another option I was thinking about(and there is many things I'm thinking of) was to get an automated caller software frmo the computer and set it to dial every minute...it may seriously disrupt things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Mann Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Not responding for two weeks doesn't sound good at all, especially the way the property market is at the moment. If it were me, I would send an e-mail referring back to you sending the drafts and adding a line about looking forward to finishing the project but, given the delay, you want to raise an interim invoice to cover cashflow, expenses, etc. See if that stirs them into responding. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyElNino Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Have you considered that they may have gone under? There's been a few small developers, house builders struggling recently...The other point I would make is that two weeks is not a very long time, we have had projects cool down for longer than this and they may just be on holiday / rushed on another project. I would not recommend at this stage sending too many emails or ringing too many times. If the contact details are correct then two answer messages and a couple of emails will suffice and lets them know where you are with the project. Its only after confirmation that something is wrong that you should risk jeopardising your relationship with the client and look at pursuing the fees. Chasing interim fees after two weeks seems premature too. I don't think the issue here is late payment of invoice as a) its only 2 weeks, b) the project is not finished and c) the standard invoice period is thirty days anyway. Another option I was thinking about(and there is many things I'm thinking of) was to get an automated caller software frmo the computer and set it to dial every minute...it may seriously disrupt things With reference to the above, although amusing, there is absolutely no way that you would ever get paid if you did this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Mann Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 ... two weeks is not a very long time, we have had projects cool down for longer than this and they may just be on holiday / rushed on another project. I would say that two weeks without contact and not returning calls is very ominuous. Its sign off he is waiting for, not payment. If a project stalls, its not unreasonable to raise an interim invoice to cover costs and help cashflow. We are businesses after all, not charities to assist developers. If the contact details are correct then two answer messages and a couple of emails will suffice and lets them know where you are with the project. Its only after confirmation that something is wrong that you should risk jeopardising your relationship with the client and look at pursuing the fees. Thats alarming, are you on Prozac? Again, Craig provides visuals as a business. If you are waiting for approval of a final draft in order to raise an invoice then you want to get that approval sooner rather than later. A couple of messages and a couple of e-mails and then what...just wait? Far too timid, once you get confirmation that someting is wrong is when its too late. I worked for a company that went into liquidation, we had seen it coming for a few weeks and the first thing that happened was that we stopped taking calls! I am not saying that you have to harass and pester your client, but phoning once a day would be reasonable until they respond to you. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyElNino Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Thats alarming, are you on Prozac? I would consider myself laid back (maybe to the point of being asleep!), but not unnecessarily alarmist. If a project stalls, its not unreasonable to raise an interim invoice to cover costs and help cashflow I agree with this but I don't think that two weeks with no contact is the stage where you would issue an interim invoice, its a little bit premature. Although in theory there should be no difference in procedure between large and small projects interim invoices would surely be reserved for much larger jobs? There would be little point chasing two thirds of a fee on one image when all that stands between you and completion is setting off the final render. One solution would be to go with the final draft and issue it with your invoice. As Jim mentioned before, this type of contact may stir them into responding. One thing I would definitely avoid is doing any further hours on the job until communication is back up and running to avoid incurring further losses if your client has gone up in smoke / decided to default on your agreement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Ramsay Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 Interesting to hear your opinions guys. It's a pretty large company, I have my doubts that it's going under it's just the person that I am dealing with is not responding to any e-mails or messages I leave. As mentioned by somebody before, they might just be very busy on a project but a quick reply, even to say they will get back to me when they have time to look at it would be nice. I'll bash on with other projects at the moment and if I don't hear anything by the end of next week then I'll think about sending an interim invoice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Ramsay Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 If the number you're calling only gets to voicemail then why not call the main number for this 'large' company? ...Simply ask the receptionist to put you through to your client That's exactly what I have done a few times now, I just get put through to their voicemail. No worries, I'll sort it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vizwhiz Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 send Them a FINAL BILL and demand payment Then offer To finish The job whenever it is more convenient for Them surely The financial people will pay promptly ok, just joking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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