Client Seems to be Avoiding Completion of Work

Well it's going to be in a long queue. And until the final logo is in my possession i'm not even going to schedule it in to the queue.

Just thought I would update you on what happened with this story.

I gave the guy new completion timescales with a new deadline to complete to which he replied he was going on holiday in the middle of that time so I gave a second set of revised dates, ending with completion in October last year. We seemed to be moving but then it slowed down when it came to him provided me with the final page content. We didn't have that much left to add to be honest.

Anyway long story short, nothing came through so on that final day I supplied him with the login to his web hosting control panel and his Joomla admin login. He could then access and do with it whatever he wished when he was ready, with or without me. Never heard a bean since.


Now fast forward to today. In February also of last year, another client (oddly enough the same business advisor had referrred both of these guys to me) also ordered and paid for an ecommerce website and logo. Got the logo done, took a while but he was spoilt for choice and couldn't chosoe but eventually did. He wasn't hard work, it just took several weeks to get a reply.

Once approved, we made a start on the website design and got that completed ready to commence development phase - this was around last May.

He made a few appointments (he worked down the road from me) to come in and discuss content, but cancelled a couple of times, and on the last appointment we had scheduled, he just didn't even turn up or get in touch to say he couldn't make it... I think he apologised a couple of weeks later and said his wife was now pregnant and they were going on hols for a week and he would ring me "next Monday when I am back". He never did.

I actually didn't need a meeting, I just needed him to send me a bunch of images and eventually, the final page content (T&C, delivery, information on his products etc). This never came so by June I decided, as with the last one, I would just leave it. I was fed up of chasing him and he was more than aware of what was needed.

Never heard a bean from him....until today! He sends a short email saying sorry he's not been in touch, he's been busy, wife had a baby, and he would contact me after he has moved premises (5th March). Now that could be anyoe's guess when after 5th March...could be 5th November!!

So, we are 1 year from when the contract commenced, and he wants to pick up where he left off, and obviously at the same price.

Any suggestions what I should tell him? What would you do? I like to be fair but I do run a business and I am pretty sure if I was to order from him and try and have it fitted a year later, it wouldn't be at a price he quoted me a year beforehand!

My thinking is that I should say something along the lines of "we need to discuss the way forward as the project is well outside of its contract completion date with possible added costs". Is this fair?

Further to that, I will definitely give him a strict and non-negotiable new timeframe for completion, and as with the last guy who delayed, present him whatever we have built thus far, by the deadline date. My terms now include for the consequences of client delays and non completion through their own fault however, these 2 clients have been the only ones I have had to experience this way.

Clients often run over, and that's fine, i'm not strict on deadlines, they are there just as a guidelines with most clients who are as keen as me to get the site finished and live. In these 2 cases, I believe in hindisght, they purposely delayed the project because they were not ready, for reasons of their own.

Bit late for this, but ...

If they don't call, they don't care.

So, I'd lay off harassing them. Get on with finding other clients. Much more rewarding

And you'll find the first guy will eventually get back to you.

The post was to say, in summary, he finally has got back in touch.

I don't harrass them, I send reminders - harrassment is a strong word! It's not about the time I spend sending a few reminders, or what else I could be doing in that time (I am always marketing for new customers so that happens regardless of whatever else is happening) it's the fact he wants work at the same price as last year and just assumes this.

This is a useful post. Thank you.

My T&C used to end

If the customer does not supply all information/content necessary for the completion of the site within 30 days of the date of order the balance will become due and customers will be invoiced.


But now includes

Any work which needs to be completed after this date may be subject to any price rises which have occurred during that period.

Although I haven't had this problem before, it doesn't hurt to be proactive.

Sorry, I think I misunderstood.

I thought the OP was getting fed up with a client not giving him enough info to complete a job.

I think people, in their minds, are the stars of their own movies and the rest of us have walk-on parts.

So I follow-up and then wait for them to get back to me. People could be having crises and my concerns might be way down on their list of priorities. I try to put myself in their shoes. What do they want?

That's fine, sure we all have busy lives and stuff thrown at us, but I wouldn't order and pay for his product in February 2011 and expect it to be fitted sometime in 2012 at the same price. Can you imagine if I go and buy

Ah, so that's the nub of it.

Sorry, I didn't get that.

I'm with the T&C answer.

Maybe also direct the client to read and agreed before you start the work and then in any follow on emails have some kind of reminder as a part of your email signature or a link to the T&C.

Personally, I'd start afresh with a new quote, and treat it as a new job. If he's still happy, then no worries and you've got the T&C's stuff captured if the same happens again.

If he's not happy, then sounds like he's not really a client you will miss

Interesting insight into the world of web designers though, you'd normally assume a client wants their site as a fast as possible, not stalling for 12 months!