Reply to: Bob gent bald-facedly writes, "Sorry I paid you late as we haven't been paid..."

[Eirikur]

Ok, only just got into online banking, logged into my system for the first time Thursday night and found I hadn't been paid for September (I'm on 7 days credit, so more than a week overdue).

It's 2014 and you just used internet banking for the first time?
I suppose you also never progressed past SQL server 1.0 (1989)

[TheFaQQer]

Please contribute with your guide to business and how you would handle a late, non paying customer? Or do you just patronise your client till they pay? Is that the secret, find stupid clients with lots of money? Please reveal all... I plan on logging in next week to read your incisive illuminating experienced business led reply.

Stupid clients with lots of money have kept me busy ever since I left university

[GillsMan]

Please contribute with your guide to business and how you would handle a late, non paying customer? Or do you just patronise your client till they pay? Is that the secret, find stupid clients with lots of money? Please reveal all... I plan on logging in next week to read your incisive illuminating experienced business led reply.

Hahaha, love the accusation that I'm the one who's patronising, given your reference to saving the flannel (whatever the F that means) for the wife/girlfriend. Honestly, keep it up. I've not heard anyone talk in those terms for a good 20 years.

The way I deal with late paying clients probably won't help those of you with just the one client, because you need that money ASAP, because that's your one source of income. I'm fortunate enough to be in a position where I can handle one or two late paying clients, because we have multiple clients on the go at any one time.

One of my clients is a large law firm, and they are notoriously late payers. But they give us good business, and I know they pay eventually. I send a gentle reminder about a week after the payment is due, and depending on the answer, every 1-2 weeks after that. I did have to get a little stroppy when they were about 60 days overdue (on payment terms of 30 days), but you have to suck it up a little bit being a small business and dealing with a larger client direct. Ultimately, they're one of our best clients, and I know they pay eventually, and we have plenty of other prompt paying clients, so I'm lucky that I can afford to be quite patient with them.

[Elliegirl]

You're hilarious; you know that, right?

Shhh.....don't encourage him!

[GillsMan]

Personal view - When I've got a late paying client I have a fixed formula

The initial conversation is centers around,

1. Is there an issue with my work? - This is important as if the client does have an issue then you need to sort this out pronto or leave.

2. When are you going to pay me my money? - Don't give a toss what his problem is, I just want my money, He's already missed the payment date, I want a confirmed date when the money is going to be in my bank account. All the other flannel he can save for his girlfriend or wife, not my issue.

3. If he misses this deadline then its time to down tools. This isn't about breach of contract or threatening to sue. I tell the client that I haven't been paid as promised and I don't feel obligated to take on any more work till the payment is sorted. This usually occurs with 24 hours. I don't take calls or answer e-mails till the money clears. When the money clears, bright and shiny I pick up my tools and get on with the job till the next time.

Sometimes tulip happens, but what's important is you put yourself right at the front of the queue for your money.

You're hilarious; you know that, right?

[FatLazyContractor]

3. If he misses this deadline then its time to down tools. This isn't about breach of contract or threatening to sue. I tell the client that I haven't been paid as promised and I don't feel obligated to take on any more work till the payment is sorted. This usually occurs with 24 hours. I don't take calls or answer e-mails till the money clears. When the money clears, bright and shiny I pick up my tools and get on with the job till the next time.

Ever been in a situation before where you return after you get the money only to be shown the door by the client for your "attitude" or lack of ? To be precise, have you ever done this in the past?

[d000hg]

How does that work?

"And when they were only half way up they were neither up nor down."

[Sausage Surprise]

Like I wrote in the opening post, I only just put online banking on my laptop, and noticed payment was 10 days overdue.

Like I didn't write, this is the 2nd time they've been "late", in 3 months. Not good.

Do you talk like you write.....like?

[TheFaQQer]

Next poster - Neither in nor out.

How does that work?

[d000hg]

Next poster - Neither in nor out.

I think you have to be one or the other.

Word of advice: Don't ever consider going direct with a client. You're having kittens over a week delay? Yeah, that's pretty generous compared some of my larger direct clients. 60 day delays in some cases.

Yeah, 30 days is rather the norm in the business world and longer is quite common - as is having to chase for payment and always being paid late (luckily not with my clients). Unless the issue is that it was a week late not that it took 2 weeks and he'd be happy on 30 days as long as it wasn't late.

[GillsMan]

Well that ends that - I don't argue. Have fun with your opinion.

Next poster - Neither in nor out. And I started early July, recently renewed so tried to reneg T+C's too. Originally they had wanted to do 30 days credit (effectively getting paid for 1st day 60 days later), I told them which allotment to lower that coffin into.

Word of advice: Don't ever consider going direct with a client. You're having kittens over a week delay? Yeah, that's pretty generous compared some of my larger direct clients. 60 day delays in some cases. Yeah, I could get all pissy about it, and threaten to withdraw my services, but they're an excellent client in all other respects.

Anyway, I'd stick to working through agencies, and letting them take their percentage of your daily rate if I were you.

[SQLSwerver]

The argument could be that as he wasn't paid he'd (depending on your contractual agreement) actually paid you early. So my point was that he'd been propping up your business with his money.

Well that ends that - I don't argue. Have fun with your opinion.

Next poster - Neither in nor out. And I started early July, recently renewed so tried to reneg T+C's too. Originally they had wanted to do 30 days credit (effectively getting paid for 1st day 60 days later), I told them which allotment to lower that coffin into.

[Bacchus]

As the others have mostly said, this sounds like a bit of an over-reaction to a late payment, but out of curiosity are you opted in or out of the 2003 Conduct of employment agencies act?


<edit>I've just seen your other thread where you were negotiating terms on 20th September - can't be that overdue?</edit>

[Alan @ BroomeAffinity]

Bob gent bald-facedly writes, &quot;Sorry I paid you late as we haven't been paid...&quot;

The argument could be that as he wasn't paid he'd (depending on your contractual agreement) actually paid you early. So my point was that he'd been propping up your business with his money.

[SQLSwerver]

Even given that he's exaggerating about not being paid himself, did he not just ******** own up using MY money to prop up his business??!!?!??

Quite the opposite, no? Looks like he's paid you before he got paid.[/QUOTE]

Dude...how is that the opposite? The opposite would be him paying me all monies due for the entire duration of the contract(s) before I'd even done a days work, plus a retention fee throw in for good measure.

He was LATE, and almost admitted to deliberately being late to cover the gap in his finances.

I've lost count of the number of contracts I've done, the WORST I've come across was (coincidentally) in the gig before this, the strumpet asked for a couple of days grace, in advance. I told her no probs.