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**borderreiver** · 3 October 2014, 08:26

It's a difficult one. Personally I think it's pretty cheeky if they were happy with the price as quoted and also with the product as delivered.

Are they using the "my nephew would have done that for £200" argument? Whenever that happens I say that that's fair enough, but ask whether the said nephew will be providing any bugfixing, support or documentation and whether he would be held commercially liable if the product blows up sometime.

That usually shuts them up.

**cojak** · 3 October 2014, 08:41

What does the contract say about commercial disputes?

**scooterscot** · 3 October 2014, 09:00

I'll need to look over it. But I know when I start that the relationship is over.

It's happened once before with a different client, until I pointed out they in fact did send me a purchase order to complete the task then payment was made. But have never received another job from them.

I hate this. But that's why I keep a little black book of 'work for those clients only if you need to'

**Pondlife** · 3 October 2014, 09:29

Originally posted by scooterscot View Post

Now yesterday they said, 'we don't feel it would have taken the hours quoted to complete the said task'

Did it?

If you took the proverbial and they've now sussed this, then they have a right to be peeved. If you didn't take the urine then ask why they think this complex piece of work was so trivial.

The argument of "you signed the contract so tough luck" is not going to win repeat business, is it.

**scooterscot** · 3 October 2014, 09:33

Originally posted by Pondlife View Post

Did it?

If you took the proverbial and they've now sussed this, then they have a right to be peeved. If you didn't take the urine then ask why they think this complex piece of work was so trivial.

The argument of "you signed the contract so tough luck" is not going to win repeat business, is it.

They thought 80 hours, I quoted 90. It's a storm in a teacup.

I agree with your premiss.

**Pondlife** · 3 October 2014, 09:37

A quote +/- 10%ish would be good enough for me not to dispute TBH. I'd get them to focus on the quality of the deliverables and the continuing working relationship.

**vwdan** · 3 October 2014, 09:57

Originally posted by Pondlife View Post

A quote +/- 10%ish would be good enough for me not to dispute TBH. I'd get them to focus on the quality of the deliverables and the continuing working relationship.

Thing is, you can't have it all ways can you? Either you agree a cost with someone upfront and one of you 'wins', or you work on a T&M basis but accept that the cost is essentially unknown. I think it'd be commercial insane to do fixed price work without quoting in a buffer of at least 10% or so.

**psychocandy** · 3 October 2014, 09:57

Could be a case of 'work needs doing - tulipe we'll pay whatever it takes, money is no object' then when the work is all done and the pressure is off the focus changes to 'ok thats done - right so how do we save a few quid'.

I've had it at a gig where everything was geared to a specific project date. Before this it was money no object, got tons of people in, extended hours, more money etc. As soon as the date was met, they almost fell over themselves terminating people early because they could save some pennies.

Reckon thats whats happened here. The initial joy of having the work done has now been replaced by complacency and someone thinking 'we could have saved a few quid' here.

**Pondlife** · 3 October 2014, 10:02

Originally posted by vwdan View Post

Thing is, you can't have it all ways can you? Either you agree a cost with someone upfront and one of you 'wins', or you work on a T&M basis but accept that the cost is essentially unknown. I think it'd be commercial insane to do fixed price work without quoting in a buffer of at least 10% or so.

My point was that I don't think that +/-10(ish) is taking the piss and so therefore the customer shouldn't be feeling like they've been ripped off.

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