Collecting Money - Trade Work

[Craig Perry]

hey all, long time lurker and have a question i'd like to bounce.. . we do some work for a 'middle man'.. ie, he gets the job, contracts us to do it, etc.. however his attitude is, once he is paid we get paid and no sooner.. this can be up to 3-4 months, he always does pay, only thing is its way out of terms.. his attitude is well if we don't like it he will simply go somewhere else, is is actually offended that I chase him for payments.. do we just bit the bullet and get tough and basically loose them as a client, or do the work and suck it in?.. I feel that he is just walking all over us however at the same time the payments do come through... eventually!..

 

[Mosh]

Been there done that! Had many bounced checkes from $%@#% signdesign, or waited months to get paid. They will give you SO many excuses! Cash on the barrelhead. Tell them to get a deposit. Not a good thing to do, trust me, they are like used car salesmen and CANNOT be trusted! Best to tell them tp go elseware, seriously it is not worth the problems. Trust me I have been there!!!!!!! Even if you are hard up for work DO NOT DO IT!!!!

 

[jasonx]

What does your agreement state for overdue invoices? Do you have a supplier contract?

 

[Craig Perry]

No, no agreement.. however I feel the following is also a contributing factor to his attitude... this particular client requested we sign a contract stating that we would not approach his customers, use his artwork, etc, with extremely heavy penalties if we did so.. however this concerned me as he's little empire covers a lot of businesses and I have already come across his clients through other unrelated avenues.. so if we do request a supplier contract, his agreement would also be placed on the table, that we are unwilling to sign (for now)..

 

[Mosh]

Cut clear of this jerk-hole. Let me tell you I had a scum like this that I did work for and he was nothing but a head-ache!!!! Next he will be getting into YOUR customers. LET THEM GO! NO PAY! GO AWAY! I hope Craig is reading this YOU bald POS!!!!! You still have $550 of bad checks in my shop from 1998 you pile of crap!!!! I hope your head is sun burned changing lamps cause that is the only work you can find!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sucks to be a loser like that and have payments, even at his age. If you have payments, you should not be in business.

 

[James Burke]

Follow the advice directly above this post and get rid of this customer. Do not sign an agreement that prohibits you from doing work for "his" customers, and do not go after his customers.

If his customers come to you, then there's nothing he can do about it. Once they come to you, then they become your customers. Nobody has ever cornered the market on customers...they do as they please.

You are financing a customer who can not manage his cash flow and sooner or later, his tardy payments may fail alltogether. If that happens, can you afford the loss?

JB

 

[Craig Perry]

cheers lads, appreciate the feedback... I'll be honest, he is by no means a large client of mine, and if his current dept folded it would be not huge loss. its more a principle of the matter. His attitude is, my way or the highway, and your comments above have assisted!..

 

[GypsyGraphics]

My subcontractors are paid in full, on completion of their portion of the job. If my clients are slow to pay or NEVER pay, it's of no consequence to them.

 

[OldPaint]

around these here parts......we call them "sign brokers." more agrivation then they are worth. i look at them like i would look at any "con artist"!!!!!! thats what most are. they find work, get the lowest price and someone else to do all the work...........AND THEN THEY TRY TO MAKE A KILLING for being the "go between."
last one that tried to convince me i ............needed him, i told him flat out........YOU CANT AFFORD ME!!!!!!!

 

[visual800]

I pay my subs before I get paid to keep them happy. happy subs means when you need another job whipped out they will respond. I would approach this dude and tell him you need your money first and if that cannot be done do not call you anymore

3-4 months waiting for money is bullshit

 

[Craig Perry]

thanks again!.. looking forward to the next request for him..

 

[mark in tx]

Either keep him and find a way to reduce the headaches, or cut him loose and lower your stress levels.

 

[TheSnowman]

I always have to fork over money BEFORE I have anything printed with a sub, or anything I order from a supplier. I got to the point where I was sick of everyone having their choice of when they paid. New customers that I don't trust (and yes, I judge every single person that walks in my door, to cover my butt) and people that are way disorganized, they all pay up front. Previous customers, or people that I do trust, are informed that they will pay upon picking up their project. My customers that order 2 - 3 times a week, they get 15 days.

Don't let this punk push you around. I've lost a few jobs by standing my ground, but I haven't been stung once, and I used to get stung all the time. It only takes one big job out of those "getting stung" jobs, and you are just done screwing with it.

 

[Gino]

These sign brokers are on every street corner... trying to take customers that could very easily be yours... away, to become their customer.

He's your customer. He pays according to your terms. If he doesn't like it he can go pound sand. Also, go ahead and sign the contract that states you won't go after his customers, but no where does it say if his customers come to you, you won't talk to them and possibly do business if he is mistreating them. Business is business and if he's a cut-throat, you can't help if they leave him for his vendor.

Ever do work with a good shop for your car and the owner's a dickwad and when his mechanic leaves, you follow him. There's no loyalty when it comes to looking out for number 1.

 

[sos224]

my 2 cents

Customers that do not pay are not customers! Customers that pay slow are liabilities and customers that dictate you business are bosses. Are you going to let this guy be your boss?

 

[jiarby]

If you do not pay you do not get your product.

I have a landscaping customer that is in a similar situation with a large property management company. The property manager hires the landscaper to go do the cleanup, makeready, or irrigation maintenance but they refuse to pay them until the property owner pays them. He had 5-10k outstanding invoices all the time 60+ days old. Several are more than 6 months.

They say "we'll use someone else" if he doesn't like it. He puts up with it because they send him so much work.

I tell print brokers to pound sand. Their art usually is not quite ready, they have unreasonable expectations about deadlines, and expect you to hand over your profit so they can make one. I quote them retail. Upfront. Buh-Bye.

 

[d fleming]

Brokers pay up front. I will not finance their business venture, only mine. A contract? Send this jackwagon skippin'.

 

[Fatboy]

I worked right through the night during the recent world cup because the work had to be done on time...guess what, I did my part of the bargain but are still waiting to be paid by the broker.Learned my lesson.It is not worth it.I made more money in two days last week than I made on the world cup job. Brokers can get stuffed. Fact is..when I go into a supermarket I take my wallet with me...why are they paying the broker 90 days in the first place anyway?

 

[Sticky Signs]

Most of my clients are 30 days. Anything beyond that and they have to pay interest on the balance.

 

[dwt]

I took on work for one broker, one time only. As predicted above, I had to chase down the $$.