I am supposed to be on holiday - but it seems I can still get frustrated by what is happening at home from the other side of the World.
It seems that every single client I've had over the last 6 months has messed me about over payment. EVERY SINGLE ONE. My reserves have been eaten up in overdraft fees and I often wonder if stacking shelves in a supermarket would be a better option - I've done it before and it was mind numbing but at least I had a regular pay check.
A couple of days ago I found out that a new client I'd worked for on a massive project over Christmas - getting in extra childcare and working right over the Christmas break - has not only failed to pay me on time but, on querying when the payment would arrive, I was told that it wouldn't be until the beginning of March. In what other profession than those who are freelance would this delay be acceptable? Because I can only work part-time at the moment this amounted to a months work - so my mortgage and other payments are all affected. Am I just unlucky with clients or is this a general trend that us freelancers should be aware of?
The client I've been ranting about for several posts is still emailing me over 'where I am' with the project that I finished 3 weeks ago. As I've actually spoken to the person I know he has been getting my emails so I am now regarding them as humorous rather than irritating - but really if they can't be professional with their freelancers how are they with their clients?
Now to workout a months interest for my late payer ....
Coronation Street Parties Senyru
1 year ago
2 comments:
It's not so much a 'trend' as an established mindset. My invoices regularly get 'lost' or 'mislaid' and have to be re-sent (after which clients seem to think that paying 30 days after RECEIPT of invoice will do, rather than 30 days after DATE of original invoice). I have often asked clients and their accounts staff to imagine how they would feel if one day their monthly corporate salary wasn't in their bank the day their mortgage went out. I just get the phone/email equivalent of a blank, uncomprehending stare. They can't imagine it because it's never happened to them and I doubt it ever will. I would think that spluttering outrage, panic and noisy protest would be top of their list of responses if it ever did. Meanwhile the likes of us are just supposed to take it on the chin. Anyway, hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday!
I have just got used to being paid late. When you have a steady flow of work it is not too bad because everything arrives late. But the chasing up of stuff gets a bit wearing and some organisations are always changing their systems so that what I submit one time is fine and then next time it is not. I tend to add on a bit to what I charge if I know someone is a very bad or tardy payer and then I don't feel so bad about it.
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