How To Deal with a Scope Creeper?

[UnderdogStrategy]

Back in December 2020 I was looking for someone who needed a website, in order to get my first piece of portfolio.

I see a guy I met during my travels advertising his new coaching practice on IG.
I reached out to him and after a talk he’s super happy to have a professional website for free.

To be fair, the project included: strategy, branding, design, development, SEO and social media consultancy. All for free.

Some weeks ago, he came back, asking for changes.
I told him I’m no longer in the phase where I work for free and we agree on an hourly/rate for what needs to be done.

He insisted to pay after the delivery (red flag n.1?).

I delivered in time, he approved, said “thank you” and disappeared… without paying.
I had to run after him with a couple of emails to get my money.

Now he’s back, asking for more changes, but for free.

How do you handle scope creepers?
You keep professional or you tell them to F*ck off?
You find an excuse? You say you're too busy?

P.S.: This is a specific case but I’d like to learn how to handle these people from now on; so far my personal takeaway is “money upfront or nothing”.

 

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[Dora Wi]

I would try to keep it professional and communicate assertively. You have every right to charge money for your services. It sounds like a hard situation given that you did stuff free in the beginning, but you need to set your boundaries at some point and if the other party doesn't accept that, that's their problem. Make it really clear that you have a business to sustain now, with clients that actually pay for your services, and you are in no way obligated to do things for free. If they still try to find a way to avoid paying, it's time for goodbye.
What you wrote in your PS sounds like a good solution. If you struggle with situations like this, I really recommend you look into assertive communication. Learning to communicate assertively is very helpful in situations where you need to defend your own interests in a professional manner.
I don't do things for free, not even to friends anymore - the agreement I have with friends is that if we use each other's services, we pay for it since that is the best way to support each others' businesses.

 

[S.Y.]

This is not a client I would like to have. I would fire him.

Do you need money? If not, politely decline.

If you do need money, determine a fixed project rate and outline clear deliverables. Ask for half upfront. But be ready to disputes.

Part of how to deal with them is to filter them out from the get go. Vet your clients and decline the ones that are not a good fit.

The 2nd part of taking the steps to drop them. A whole lot get wasted on those.

 

[Stargazer]

How do people pay for his 'coaching'?

Upfront right?

It shouldn't come as too much of a shock to him when you say you do exactly what he does.

In future, when someone says they want your product/service and then ask about costs and T&Cs, you simply tell them it's $x upfront on a card and the balance $y paid at z stage. (Or whatever you want)

The upfront bit should be at least what your net costs will be so that even if they bugger off you have broken even .

If you are not asking for much just ask for the whole lot in one go.

Dan

 

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[The-J]

Listen to Nancy Reagan and "Just Say No". Lol

Seriously, learn to say no. You're not available. It's okay.

 

[UnderdogStrategy]

Thank you all for the advices.
This time the eggs were already broken, I just fired him few moments ago saying I was too busy next weeks.

From now on I'll ask payment upfront under 1k and 50/50 for bigger projects.

Was a good lesson.

 

[CoderSales]

Learn how to properly vet and qualify the companies you talk to. Put them through a process and ask uncomfortable questions to make sure they aren't BSing you. Get 50% up front, 40% after the initial design & mockup phase is complete then the remaining 10% before you migrate from your staging to production. This way you get more $$ in a shorter amount of time and protects you if they ghost... which will happen.

Make then sign a contract and use a Scope of Work that you can refer to which also states the payment schedule above.

 

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