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Telling a Client you would no longer like to work with them on Future projects

J

jhd

New Member
I have a fairly new client, I've done a handful of jobs for. It started off awful, they didn't pay for 60 days, borrowed material in a last minute rush (they are a marketing firm with a in-house print shop) and never returned or paid for what they borrowed.

They have asked me to quote and produce an upcoming job, but I just have a gut feeling they will never be happy and its not a large scale job (under 1k) I dont typically turn away jobs on any scale, but I feel this business relationship is just not worth the added stress.

I recommended prinitng on my roland, the client urgently blurts out she doesnt think the quality will be to their standards because of what they have had done with other vendors. I told the client that I would supply a sample of the project, and assure that it will be of the best quality that I can output.

I feel that they believe they are the elite of the elite and all other work should cease when they walk through the door.

Any thoughts of what I can do?
 
WrapperX

WrapperX

New Member
Well if they never paid for the last job - I wouldn't do any future work until they are paid in full. OR they have signed some sort of credit agreement where they will start paying monthly or whatever. But most importantly do what you can to recover your losses from the previous job.

Second, there's no reason you have to deal with the stress of a PITA customer. If you really don't need them - politley inform them that you no longer want to do business with them. It happens, you can't please everyone so keep the ones that you like and tell the others to hit the road!
 
letterman7

letterman7

New Member
"I'm sorry, due to delayed payments from your company, I feel that I may not be able to fulfill your expectations on upcoming projects. Please feel free to contact another company."

That's all. If you have that feeling already, it's probably true. Dust 'em off and keep on with paying customers.
 
jiarby

jiarby

New Member
Because of non-payment of invoice # <insert #>, your company has been downgraded to a credit card only account. Before doing any future work we will require payment in full for any outstanding invoices, and a signed credit card authorization form on file.

or...

You can be blunt..
"Hey! What's in it for me?? You guys took xxx days to pay my last invoice, despite us doing an awesome job at the last minute and then came in here and swiped a roll of $xxx material that I was never paid for. Why should i want to work with someone that is overly demanding, requires everything be a rush job, lowballs me on the price, then takes 60+days to pay even that... and finally steals my supplies... at least I should get a reach around or something... So, sell it to me... why would someone want to do business with a customer like this?"
 
J

jhd

New Member
They did pay for the first couple of projects, it just took them 2 months to do so. I kindly circled my payment options on their most recent proposal and I received a call and an apology. Which was nice, but I'm just not feeling that this is going to turn out good.

They have offered to pay in full on this project upon approval, but they stated this is only for this project.

I'm a one man shop in a fairly small area and carry a good size workload.
I feel, I'm very lucky and blessed to have all this work, but I'm worried, I worked hard to build a good reputation and I dont really want them out there bad mouthing my work or business. Just Trying to keep everyone happy.
 
TyrantDesigner

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
+1 to what others have said. My personal approach would be "due to a balance on your account, any work done must have a zero balance prior to work starting as well as a 50% deposit on the job requested to be completed with the remaining balance to be paid before work is to be delivered/installed." I would also charge them an extra 25% on any job I do for them ... aggravation fees are nice for that ... just don't list "aggravation fee" on the invoice :-D. If they only need materials as a few of my p.i.t.a. customers do ... I charge them for the full amount of the material with labor and overhead as though I did the complete job ... call it a new flat rate for materials and jobs.

you probably won't see them again if you do that. and if you do ... their money is nice too.
 
GoodPeopleFlags

GoodPeopleFlags

New Member
If you decide to go with the job, build into the quote the price of the material they "borrowed". Get everything in writing. Get 50% - 100% deposit. Balance due ON COMPLETION. If they don't want you to print, then don't and charge accordingly.
 
TyrantDesigner

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
jhd said:
They did pay for the first couple of projects, it just took them 2 months to do so. I kindly circled my payment options on their most recent proposal and I received a call and an apology. Which was nice, but I'm just not feeling that this is going to turn out good.

They have offered to pay in full on this project upon approval, but they stated this is only for this project.

I'm a one man shop in a fairly small area and carry a good size workload.
I feel, I'm very lucky and blessed to have all this work, but I'm worried, I worked hard to build a good reputation and I dont really want them out there bad mouthing my work or business. Just Trying to keep everyone happy.
Click to expand...

Look, you don't have to say "STOP COMING HERE DINK BAG" ... really it just comes down to setting up enforceable guidelines for your business to handle customers that do not pay on time (or at all) and/or are complete time vampires to your business. If you create a set of guidelines that you yourself can justifiably and reasonably comply to ... doesn't mean you're going to lose your reputation. When I started at the shop I'm working at now ... prices were dirt cheap to the point of not making money and having about 3k dollars worth of graphics just sitting under a table waiting to be picked up by customers that would "be back in just a minute" ... I ended up raising the prices by 50% over 4 months and requiring deposits in hand for all future work OR person or vehicle here for immediate work and no more massive graphics pile and the shop is slammed with customers dropping more than $5-10 for 45 minutes worth of work. (more like $200 for 1 hours worth). Don't try to make everyone happy, just try to provide great customer service with reasonable expectations and guidelines and prices that aren't abhorant ... and you will be fine.
 
Kottwitz-Graphics

Kottwitz-Graphics

New Member
jhd said:
borrowed material in a last minute rush (they are a marketing firm with a in-house print shop) and never returned or paid for what they borrowed.
Click to expand...

I would assume that you invoiced them for the "borrowed" material...If so, the I would talk to CEO / Owner / whoever is in charge and tell him that becasue his company has "borrowed" material, and didn't pay for it, that I am not interested in any work that they may need, unless it is paid for when ordering.

If you didn't invoice them for the material, they you donated it to them...
 
B

btropical.com

New Member
Many moons ago OP had a sign in his sign shop "Ass ' Grass or Gas " Nobody rides for free . I'd bet its still there and we could all benefit from its wisdom .
 
Bly

Bly

New Member
Credit card payment on completion, before delivery.
Price it so it's worth the aggravation.
 
Jillbeans

Jillbeans

New Member
Just flat out tell them you are not interested~can't help em~
sayonara don't let the door hit you in the @ss.
You don't owe them a thing.
Love....Jill
PS
Why is it that customers we try to ditch are worse than a stalker ex husband?
They will probably build a shrine to you in their break room.
 
MikeSTK

MikeSTK

Dawns Vinyl Designs
Anybody that approaches another shop for materials without cash in hand is a bum.

Cash and premium price. If they didn't have that common sense see ya later.
 
ProWraps

ProWraps

New Member
nothing says your an ***** like someone not accepting your money.

i turn jobs down all the time. if it doesnt pay to deal with the $hit, why do it. let your competition eat a fat one dealing with them. it benefits you TWICE.
 
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