Loading ...Dear Gritty VA:
I have a client who routinely doesn’t pay me on time. This is how he lives. He pays everyone and everything late. I know he is happy with my work, and he shifts more to me every month. However, I would almost rather he didn’t as I don’t want him to become my biggest client when I don’t know when he’ll pay me. But this isn’t even the biggest problem.
The other day he stated he wants to get no calls, and informed me that he was going to forward all his phone calls to me to handle. Needless to say, I was speechless. I explained that I wasn’t set up for complete customer service, that I like having my set hours and not working on weekends, that I didn’t want my other client work interrupted throughout the day, that it would be hard for me to concentrate, and that I wasn’t interested. Well, I haven’t heard from him since (and, of course, he owes me money). What to do? ~ MJ
The bottom line is you don’t owe any client any involved explanations, excuses or apologies about why you don’t want to do something. If you don’t want to do something, don’t do it.
When a client asks you to do something that you are not interested in doing, simply tell them it’s a service you don’t provide. Period.
Okay, I’m gonna be tough here, but I’m talking to everyone, not to just to you personally: Buck up.
Stop being a victim. You are a business owner–not an employee. You own your business, and it’s up to you to decide what services you want to offer, what your boundaries are, and to clearly communicate to clients your policies as well as your expectations for mutual courtesy and respect (and payment!).
I would consider it no loss to be done with this client. However, he still owes you money, and that I would not allow to slide. Send him a final invoice of everything due, and indicate that it is past due and expected to be paid immediately. You could also attach a cover letter reminding him that communication is a very important part of your business relationship with clients, and that consistent on-time payment is your expectation. Let him know that you are open to having a conversation with him (that is, if you really want to), but in the meantime, the past-due amount is expected in full upon receipt, and all work will be put on hold until payment is received.
If he does not pay, you will have to decide how you are willing to proceed. Personally, my next step would be having my attorney send him a letter.
