<div class="bbWrapper"><blockquote data-attributes="member: 22383" data-quote="Choate" data-source="post: 1108223"
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Need some tough love/advice here. Client requested website by Thurs, Feb 1, on 3 weeks notice. I had it up Monday, Jan 29 on staging. He doesn't get around to reviewing it. Feb 1 rolls around and he says that his marketing efforts have launched but the website is not live (after not responding to my Monday email). I respond by launching a landing page version of it shortly thereafter and send him the full invoice, along with the opportunity for 30 days of changes/edits and 1 year of hosting. He requests a partial bill instead as he didn't get a chance to provide feedback and review.<br />
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"my understanding was that ~$x,xxx would get me a website that I’d had the opportunity to provide content for. I haven’t had time for that yet. I had several days of availability to do this in late January when the beta skeleton was due, but when that time passed, my availability went with it. I will make time to provide content, but you’ve invoiced me for the finished product. I don’t feel comfortable paying you for the finished product at this point. Would you be willing to send me an invoice for partial payment"<br />
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Note that we never formally discussed a "beta skeleton" just the Feb 1 deadline. I have no interest in billing for a partial payment as it will drag this project on and signal that what I've done is only worth that much - already 34 days into it and he has only provided a logo, phone number and logo. Meanwhile, the website is live on my hosting and generating leads (to my email, which I've decided to not provide until payment).<br />
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Do I:<br />
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a) Delete the website, cut losses. (do not need this client / nor his money)<br />
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b) Be the bigger person, just let things simmer, ignore it for now, let him provide content and eventually payment<br />
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The fact that he has been such a hardass leads me to want to do option a.
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</blockquote>Oh I'm downright angry at the client with you over this.<br />
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If you don't need the client or his money, I would in no way let this simmer. He stands to make money through this marketing campaign for every day this "free" website is live. He's trying to bully you and seeing how far he can get away with it.<br />
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"My understanding was that the price for you to have your website live by Feb 1 was $X,XXX. Your failure to review or provide content in no way impacts the fact that I have fulfilled my end of the deal. I expect payment in full by [DEADLINE] or the site will be deleted. Sincerely, Choate."<br />
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I would give him 24 hours (e.g. until Monday at noon). And then follow through.<br />
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Or maybe delete the site first and say you'll put it back only when he has paid. That way he stands less of a chance of cloning the site and putting it up anyway.<br />
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(And just to reassure you that you're not the one being petty, imagine how offended this client would be if the roles were reversed and someone tried to pull this on him!)</div>
