Latest Trend in Arch-Viz

[anwarhakim]

*Ronen bekerman

[M V]

If you don't want to be a doormat, then don't lie in front of the door.

 

I agree, but there is a thin line between professionalism and being a d1ck.

[John Dollus]

feisty group today

[heni30]

Who the hell asked you?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2013 by heni30

[Nic H]

who wants to argue about vray vs mental ray then???

[Justin Hunt]

Nah, we all know which is better, Mine

[Tim Nelson]

I've never been burned (unpaid). I've never demanded payment before I deliver finals. Furthermore I rarely if ever demand a deposit for a job, unless it is very large. Sometimes it takes me several months, and an email or two to get paid. But keep in mind they are dealing with their own clients too. I don't fully subscribe to the policy that if your client hasn't paid you, you shouldn't pay your subcontractors. But, as a professional, you deal with it as best you can. If I can pay my subcontractors within or before 30 days, even if I haven't been paid, I will. Golden rule type of thing I guess. I only have a handful of clients, and I do business with the ones I feel I can trust. The larger the client's business or the ones they are doing business with, the longer it takes to get paid. And as a sole proprietor, it hurts when getting paid takes a long time. But it's how things work. We are not a retail business. We are not wedding photographers. We are here as strategic aid for the businesses that have something they need to sell or accomplish. Understand them and work with them and generally you will come out ok.

 

To the original statement that started this discussion "I have no money and I need it tomorrow." Either you are desperate or they are but you don't have to say yes. I'm sure no potential client has ever said those words to you, but if they have it is not even worth responding to.

[M V]

We are not a retail business. We are not wedding photographers.

 

We are also not suckers. Once you deliver your final image, there is nothing stopping someone from not paying you. I am not running a charity. Go into a shoe store, put on a pair, and walk out the door. Tell them you'll pay them in 60 days. See what happens.

[Tim Nelson]

We are also not suckers. Once you deliver your final image, there is nothing stopping someone from not paying you. I am not running a charity. Go into a shoe store, put on a pair, and walk out the door. Tell them you'll pay them in 60 days. See what happens.

Ha! Apples & oranges. Do you give your clients at least 30 days or do you always expect final payment before removing your watermark? One difference is that they often try to wait to get paid by their clients for the job so they can pay you. I don't necessarily like it but it's hard to convince them that we deserve special treatment. They probably expect that of us because that's the way they work with all of their other trades subcontractors too. So I think we're in a little bit of a niche somewhere in between graphic design and construction documents and I would think it would be incredibly difficult to find clients willing to pay immediately upon delivery. Most other professional services don't work that way either, as far as I know.

[RyderSK]

It's true it depends. Some (bigger) companies just won't change their politics because of contractor's faster cash-flow. One thing I adopted is 14day invoice, which most clients are fine with, and are good compromise with otherwise pretty tough 30 days (or extreme 60). I also found most clients willing to pay 20-30percent upfront, which is good compromise between nothing and 50perc. Then, occasionally, you get the client from heaven who just pays the day of delivery :- ) Then you go back to reality..

 

I have to say though, I never gave my clients watermark, that much I trust them, but I also choose them wisely and most people can be trusted and those who can't, have their signals uprofront. I watermark them aftewards on my publishing, since they otherwise tend to travel too much around the internet under different name !!

[heni30]

If clients would just realize the incredible amount of good will paying upon delivery (or a couple of days later) generates. I have 2 clients like that and I would push anything aside to accommodate them.

 

At Xmas time one of the clients took his employees and sig. others out to a fancy dinner and then to the Cirque du Soleil afterwards and he invited me and my wife to join them. He's a keeper.

 

I have another client who does 60 days plus, and sometimes it's a pleasant surprise to see a check in the mail because I forget all about it - it's like having the money in the bank - with no interest.

Edited July 18, 2013 by heni30

[Tommy L]

If clients would just realize the incredible amount of good will paying upon delivery (or a couple of days later) generates. I have 2 clients like that and I would push anything aside to accommodate them.

 

At Xmas time one of the clients took his employees and sig. others out to a fancy dinner and then to the Cirque du Soleil afterwards and he invited me and my wife to join them. He's a keeper.

 

I have another client who does 60 days plus, and sometimes it's a pleasant surprise to see a check in the mail because I forget all about it - it's like having the money in the bank - with no interest.

 

I have a small-time interior designer client who usually comes by for final 'on-screen tweaks' He gives me a check on the spot. I'd say I charge him about 30% less than my other clients. I dont mean to, I just think that quoting is mostly done by gut and if you like the client your gut is much more forgiving. Call it karma I guess.

[Karl Larsen]

Lessons from the streets of NYC, where I got my start.

 

1. Never start any creative project without a 35% to 50% retainer. If a company or individual hesitates on that, get up and walk away (even if you badly need the work).

 

2. If a company or individual tries to renegotiate the cost after the work is delivered, agree to their wishes, take what they offer, and decline the next project they call you to do (even if you badly need the work).

 

3. If you are always straight up and honest, always meet your commitments, and always deliver the best quality you can, you will have more than enough straight-up, honest clients, that pay their bills in full, and on time.

 

I've only just started offering architectural visualization services, but in more than 20-years as a self-employed consulting project architect, I have lived by those three rules and I have never once not been paid, in full.

 

I've had people try, but not one succeeded, and the people that tried to play me, were wise enough not to call me again, because they knew the answer they would get.

 

Remember - you are NOT Goldman Sachs, and you do NOT finance other people's businesses, especially people with more money than you!

[bindunarayan]

Thanks for sharing some really cool videos portraying the nature of the architecture industry.