Client back from dead
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- e-wo
3+ years ago, I had a client put down a $500 deposit to reserve my time to design his site.
I diligently prompt him each day for the needed content, and he ghosts. He pops up 2 months later and asks for a landing page, which I obliged.
Today I got a voicemail from him, looking to schedule the site work, and mentioning the $500 deposit he already put down.
Now, I didn't have a solid contract in place when the job started. I think it's entirely reasonable to tell him – in writing, rather than by phone – that $500 was spent on the reservation of my time, and that I'm not available for design work any longer.
What would you say?
- Continuity1
Did he pay for the landing page, out of curiosity? If not, well ... he can kiss his deposit and your time good-bye.
- Also, 3+ years ago, and he calls in the deposit issue? Wtf, man.Continuity
- BaskerviIle12
Ghost him for 3 years
- And in 3 years we will all be ghosts, so you'll have a foot in the door for post-life markets. Don't let anybody fool you, you still need hustle in Heaven.garbage
- e-wo1
I didn't charge more for the landing page. Between the original time reservation and the landing page, I consider the $500 spent.
- Yup, he's paid for that landing page, as far as I'm concerned.Continuity
- zarkonite1
If he's wanting to pay you to design an entire site don't you stand to make money on this? Just make sure you get half up front or something in case he flakes again. And this time make a contract and make sure there's an expiry date if he's not responsive for x amount of time...
- grafician1
"sorry new phone, who dis?!"
- Continuity3
The only criticism I would have of your side of things — besides not having a solid contract to cover your ass — would be to not have drawn the line after a certain number of times of trying to get the content and him ghosting you. By which, I mean: after it became clear that assignment was going nowhere, you didn't (it doesn't look like) inform him the show's over, and you're moving on to other client work, and that his deposit was the price of him wasting your time.
- I 100% agree with this. No, I never followed up with him.e-wo
- PonyBoy0
Was the landing page worth $500? Do you feel you spent time waiting and didn't fill that time w/other work as he had 'reserved' it?
I ask because it might be easier on the situation to give back some of it. Explain the value of the landing page and also the value of your time that you set aside and didn't fill w/other projects waiting for him to get his shit together for sure...
... but at the same time I don't think you want an unnecessary fight w/what could still be a good prospective client down the road (you never know where you're going to be in a year or him for that matter).
Simply put: try and be reasonable so as to smoothly send him on his way w/out unnecessarily burning a bridge.
- The client sounds arrogant, though. Bringing up the deposit after over 3 years, and after having gotten a landing page out of e-wo.Continuity
- I don't view him as a good prospective client. I'd spend an unpaid week looking for someone who is actually ready for a project, rather than ...e-wo
- ... chronically contract-checking a delinquent client for 3x longer than the project should take. I'm conflict averse and I'd rather work on something smooth.e-wo
- gotcha—And as it's been 5+yrs (per your newer post) I'd be more inclined to NOT give any $ back (near 6 yrs, not 3) must have a stat. of limitationsPonyBoy
- sted3
Hi.
The $500 was spent on the reservation of my time 3 years ago.
Currently I'm not available for design work.Ty,
bye.- the rest is just bullshit since you don't want to work for this guy.sted
- Yup.Continuity
- Correct. Thank you!e-wo
- That an un-professional close to a letter. Should be:
LOL,
byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeAkagiyama
- e-wo0
Oh wow, just checked the dates:
— July 2014, $500 deposit made
— April 2015, I set up a landing page + email account for himIt's funny that the people pleaser in me still squirms over the idea of rejecting a client, but I'd be playing myself if I didn't.
- instrmntl0
Dont burn bridges, but tell him your rate has increased in 300% in the past 3 years.
- grafician3
Ok, so can you not be just reactionary and switch to curiosity, asking the client what prompted him to ask for more work after 3 years?
Find out the root of this, as this is truly one of a kind ask from a client lol
@sted your reply denotes just as much arrogance as the client asking for work after 3 years, never be that dismissive with clients.
So a reply could be something like:
"Hello X
Thanks for getting in touch after all this time. [make him feel a bit guilty for ghosting]
Regarding our previous agreement, that is no longer in effect as booking my services upfront and delivering part of the work as a design for the landing page (as I see here in my work archive) was well covered by your initial deposit. Thank you for that.
So at this time, what prompted you to get back to me, do you need my help with anything else?
If that is the case, unfortunately I'm not available for design work during these troubling times.If I can refer you to somebody else, let me know.
With regards,
[you]"- Interesting. Why ask what he needs help with if I'm not available?e-wo
- Because you're a professional and ofc because "work hard and be nice to people"grafician
- But 1. you show class, empathy, genuine authenticity 2. maybe you can actually refer the project to somebody who needs it? 3. maybe he changed after 3 years...grafician
- Either way, never be dismissive with clients, even if you can't help anymore, always act with respect.grafician
- that's how you do it, excellent advicejpgjpg
- Good approach I think toopedromendez
- omahadesigns0
So for $500, did he reserve a specific time slot?
Why did you follow up? It's responsible to follow up once if he misses his designated time but to do more than once seems annoying or desperate.
Did the landing page cost $500 in your mind?
If so, you're both good.
- Yes, his deposit reserved a specific time slot during which I turned away other work.
I followed up several times to cover my bases and be diligent.e-wo - The landing page alone didn't cost $500, but all the consultation time and other work turned away sure did.e-wo
- If he paid for a specific time and then he ghosted. And you followed up to remind him and did the landing page for no additional cost, you're very nice.omahadesigns
- Yes, his deposit reserved a specific time slot during which I turned away other work.
- omahadesigns0
Do people usually pay to reserve time?
- omahadesigns0
Don't waste your time with someone like this.
If you want to be nice and ask him to pre-pay for any future services, go ahead.
- cannonball19780
A projected half up front, a kill clause for non-communication or failure to deliver necessaries, and the deposit was for your time. No negotiation.
- Projectile1
If you want to keep him as a client, just do it.
Did you really spend that time fobbing other clients off? Or did you just enjoy the free money?
If it were me, I'd feel like I still owed the guy some design work.
- I don't want him as a client. He's proven to be an unreliable one.
And I did turn down another project to be able to prioritize his.e-wo
- I don't want him as a client. He's proven to be an unreliable one.
- pedromendez1
Print his 2015 landing page on a t-shirt and send it to him, tell him that's all that was left in the budget.
