I wish people could understand that just because you own a business, it doesn’t mean you have time or cash to just toss away.
Problem #1 - I have a client who, after a month of negotions, has finally decided he wants to use my services and would like his contract. Although the call came well after closing time, I took it, got his contract ready, printed, signed, scanned to PDF and sent to him because he was leaving this morning for another LDT (He’s an over the road trucker, long distance). I told him during our phone conversaton that I’d have the contract to him, within the hour, which I did. I also asked if he had any questions about my policies or the contract (IE: You understand that there is a 25% deposit for me to BEGIN work, and you will need to include the amount for your website hosting package and domain registration? Because without them, I can’t build a site for you?) Yes he said he understood, no questions, blah blah.
This morning, I get the contract back, signed and ready to go, but… no deposit, no payment. UGH!
My contracts stipulate that I do not begin work on a project without a 25% deposit. Why? Because I have expenses that I must cover in order to operate, and I can’t afford to spend a month building a project, designing a custom SQL database or creating graphics for someone who, in the middle of the project says.. oh ya know? Never mind. That deposit covers my butt on work that I may do up unto that point. It also covers such things as copyright registrations for any graphics or logos that I custom build for them.
I wish I could make these clients understand that my deposit isn’t just for my own sake, its for their own good as well.
Now, Problem #2 - I have a friend in Australia, whom I love dearly and he’s just discovered Wordpress! HOORAY! But.. he’s having problems understanding the back end, IE: How to make a static page be his landing page, how to order catagories, etc. We are on totally different time zones, for example, right now it’s about 3:00 AM his time where its 10:00 AM my time. And he KNOWS that I work from 7:00 AM My time till whenever-the-hell-I-get-done my time.
So he’s been emailing me all morning asking for help with this and that, and it’s not that I don’t mind helping. I don’t at all. But not during work hours. This is my time to make the money to pay my bills (OH lordy the bills I have!) And I really don’t have time to just sit around answering emails from someone who can wait until I have time. Yet he keeps emailing and frankly just pestering the shit out of me.
What’s a gal to do? Ugh.
So, I sent the client a friendly reminder letter letting him know that even though I got his contract, I still can’t start work without the deposit and hosting payment, as per my contract stipulations.
As for my friend I’ve given him links to the Wordpress site where he can find information on how to do what he wants. Read that. THEN if you have questions, email me and I will get back to you either at Close of Business today or during the weekend, when I have a minute to breath.
