RE: You must be hard up for clients....

Jay,

I read your response with great interest. I've got a good way to combat that
fear that you suggested. When I sign a new client I quote them a price, and
require a 50% deposit up front. My contract guarantees that if they are
unhappy with the website, they don't pay me the final 50% until they are
happy. But their pages don't go into a "live" environment until I receive
final payment.

The deposit is non-refundable. (My profit is built into the final payment,
my expenses paid up front!)

This prevents someone from being able to take my client away in such a way
as you described, because unless I just really stink at my job, they aren't
going to be willing to forfeit their deposit. My contract guarantees to get
it right for the client, and my labor and costs are covered in case the
client (heaven forbid) gets hit by a bus the day I finish the site.

Regards,

Jason Brett
ZigZag Internet Solutions
Powerful Solutions. Explosive Results.


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-hwg-business(at)hwg.org [mailto:owner-hwg-business(at)hwg.org]On
> Behalf Of Jay Strickland
> Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 12:25 AM
> To: 'Rachel Hartman'; 'hwg-business(at)hwg.org'
> Subject: RE: You must be hard up for clients....
>
>
> Rachel,
>
> <vent>
> You bring up an interesting point that I've often considered.  What's
> to stop someone from using these mailing lists to try and harvest
> clients?
>
> Let's take the critique list for example.  If someone posts a site to the
> list for people to look at who's to say that someone without morals
> won't check out the site, figure out who the company is and contact
> them saying that they can do better?  If you provide them pricing
> information then not only can they figure out what you're charging the
> client, but can then try and undercut you.
>
> I'd like to think that all of my clients will stick with me b/c
> of the good
> work that I've done for them over the past several years, but if you're
> just getting started with a client that's not always the case and some
> clients just aren't loyal no matter how good you are to them.
>
> It's sad that people would stoop to that level to try and steal clients
> away from you though.
> </vent>
>
> 	Jay
>
> --
> Jay Strickland	Jay_Strickland(at)pobox.com
> What we hope ever to do with ease, we must first learn to do with
> diligence.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Rachel Hartman [SMTP:rhartman(at)io.com]
> Sent:	Tuesday, April 18, 2000 8:18 PM
> To:	Majordomo(at)mail.hwg.orgRa
> Subject:	You must be hard up for clients....
>
> Interesting e-mail saga of the day.
>
> Earlier this morning, I got an e-mail with the "real name" of [John Doe]
> Web Designs.  It was from a freebie account, but the reply-to was for the
> domain belonging to [JD] WD.  The message asked me for my average time to
> complete a web site, because he needed a web site "for me and me
> wife" and
> he didn't "have the patience" to learn HTML.  I spocked an eyebrow at it,
> but because I wanted to get on with my day, I settled for a brief version
> of my usual reply to customer inquiries.  Never heard back, didn't much
> care, had clients to take care of--you know how it goes.
>
> This evening I got e-mail from a client of ours.  She'd gotten
> e-mail from
> [JD] WD asserting that they could offer a "more appealing web site at a
> more appealing price."  (Since she was and continues to be satisfied with
> both the site and the price, it's hard to see how he could manage
> that, but
> never mind.)  Apparently Mr. John Doe would rather scan client lists and
> solicit other people's customers rather than try to get some of his own.
>
> So far I'm taking the high road - told my client to ignore the letter if
> she wished.  But man, it's tempting to rip this fellow a new one.
>  I don't
> have the most bleeding-edge sites on the Web, but I don't have
> any unhappy
> clients.
>
> This letter is mostly because I need to vent in a sympathetic space, and
> because I was interested in hearing if anyone else has had their client
> list targeted in this way before.  Thanks for listening.
>
> Rachel
> --------------------------------------------
> Rachel R. Hartman, Co-Owner
> Hartman WebWrights - http://www.hww.com (512) 989-7844
> Affordable, hand-crafted web pages for your company's needs
>

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