Hi all,

I've spent many hours (around 30 or more) designing and developing a website for a client who was very happy with my work.

However, after suggesting that the client not include poor quality camera phone photos in her photo gallery the client became very unpleasant and has now seemingly ceased in corresponding.

I rather naively and over-trustingly never asked for a deposit prior to starting the work too.

I'm not sure what to do next as I have sent a chase up e-mail or two and have heard nothing back.

Regards

Jason

Welcome to the forums

 

Ok so you didn't get a deposit, we all learn!

 

I'd suggest stopping any more work on this site, don't hand over any files to the client, and send them a polite email saying as you've heard nothing back you have put the project on hold.

Cheers guys.

 

Yep, I stopped work on this as soon as the alarm bells went off. I also removed all the preview/staging links at the same time as you have suggested.

 

I have sent a follow up e-mail politely asking for an update on the situation but have not received a thing in return.

 

Also noticed the client is happily posting to her Facebook page to is clearly around and has internet access.

 

Does one not enter into a gentlemen's agreement as soon as the client accepts the quote and I begin work? I take it I can't take or threaten to take legal action?

 

Failing that I may take the client's existing website down (not done by me) as I have FTP access.

I dunno, I usually roll with ...

 

Yup, also remove any preview/staging links you've sent over too.

 

Just send the client an email explaining the situtaion and your own feelings, whilst remaining calm (hard I know) E.g. have spent a ton of your own time and not been paid.

 

@@Heisenberg, welcome to the forum

 

What rallport said, definitely send the client an email warning them you're going to put the project on hold. You'll know to take a deposit from now on (usually half of the project cost, unless you really trust the client and have worked with them for a long time)

Thanks guys.

 

When things started going sour I asked for a deposit (better late than never) and made it clear that I wouldn't do any further work until I received that. Needless to say I've not received a thing.

 

Going forward I will definitely ensure I get a deposit before I even think about doing any work. Do people use contracts here in the UK too even for relatively small web projects?

Have you tried to find out why she's stopped communicating? Some clients get very sensitive over not having things just their way, however if positioned just so, they can be talked into listening to the voice of reason and experience. If she is unwilling to listen, plan b may need to take place - politely and respectfully cut your losses.

Hi RobertS,

 

Can be difficult to find out why she is not communicating when she is not communicating. I tried to reason with her over the issue that cropped up but I think she was overcome by desperation to get a few lousy and badly out of focus pictures of her up with various 'celebrities' (who most of us have never heard of) to boost her status that she lost sight of all reasoning. In fact, she wanted a gallery comprising of entirely and just these types of pictures that even a seasoned pro in Photoshop couldn't rescue. What to do in this situation?

Have you thorght about another section or category of images as a compromise, let's call it "us on the move", of course as long as that would be suitable to the business, if the website gives over that personal air, even if not, a little personal is never a bad thing.

 

This way not only are the poor images explained but it adds a more 'personal' feel, and the client gets what they want under a suitable bracket.

 

Web design and development is about catering for a client even when they become difficult and despite you saying it's a bad idea, it's their website so you need to come up with something suitable as a solution.

 

You made a big mistake, no contact, no deposit so therefore no terms of service, amateur mistakes I am sorry to say , be accommodating as much as possible, I am pretty sure a threat of pausing work would not encourage good client customer relations, if you propose one or two possible solutions on how it could be achieved you might find them a little more accommodating if after that you still have no replies then pause further work.

I don't think she would have liked that. She is a singer/songwriter and most of these sites have that type of section under a gallery as that is was it is effectively.

 

I have done many websites for these types of people before and have never had this issue.

 

I agree with you to a point but if she hiring me to create a website that looks professional then these types of images simply don't cut the mustard.

 

She also hit me with this (or should I say demanded) this brand new section whilst after I completed the design and was in the middle of developing the site I should add and she wanted it content manageable (what's the worst that could happen?).

 

She was referred to me by a friend who I did quite a few websites for and trusted. I normally ask for a deposit and deal with customers through freelancing websites etc. but I wrongly assumed I could trust her which in hindsight was a big big mistake.

 

Doesn't getting a proper contract cost an arm and a leg and doesn't that scare away potential clients? Is there not a gentlemen's agreement in place?

 

Normally I would have turned such clients away too but I unfortunately succumbed to her various methods of manipulation - never again.

 

Personally I couldn't live with my conscience if I did that to someone especially over such a trivial issue. I should add that I was only making the suggestion to exclude these type of images as I believe I was pursuing her best interests.

If she is a singer/songwriter it should be, in fact it's pretty important that the website is very personal, people want to know the bands or singers they are interested in, a professional feel is competely wrong, I am sorry but the idea I have said above is I think a better solution.

 

Being professional does not have to mean business like, it could mean the impression within an industry and the music industry is a very personal thing, it has to be so it appeals to a certain following.

 

My opinion, I am really sorry not trying to be rude but I think you are wrong.

 

And no offence but who the hell cares what other features other websites have, by all means use them for ideas but in order to stand out sometimes you have to take a step forward and be the first to try something a little different, to me, you are stuck in the mud refusing to do something because your opinion believes it wrong, not because your research says it is otherwise you would have convinced the client by now without threats.

If you are looking at industry trends then I believe you are wrong. What does 'on the move' bring to mind immediately? Nothing obvious and is not intuitive in my opinion (only).

 

These weren't images of singers etc. she was interested in these were her alleged friends as she was claiming. Does that make it more acceptable?

 

Are you saying that calling a section 'on the move' makes unprofessional content more professional? If we include bad grammar and spelling is that acceptable too?

 

Are you saying, in your opinion, she was right not to pay me for a service rendered too for expressing a concern or opinion whilst making no attempt to resolve this?

 

We're all entitled to an opinion and sometimes we all don't share the same unfortunately...

 

In you are so interested in taking her defence I can provide you with her details and I'm sure you'll have a whale of a time together...

And no offence but I think you don't know all the facts but are quick to judge and become opinionated.

And no offence but I think you don't know all the facts but are quick to judge and become opinionated.

No, it's not judgement or opinion it's educated and experienced fact and in all honesty if you start getting like that whenever someone does not agree with your opinion it's no surprise she is ignoring you

 

I am not going to waste my time talking to you about solutions when you are only interested in problems that you refuse to solve.

 

Good luck with it.

No, it's not judgement or opinion it's educated fact and in all honesty if you start getting like that whenever someone does not agree with your opinion it's no surprise she is ignoring you

 

Is that so? Not a hint of being judgemental there... Is this the same way you deal with your clients?

And what is a 'educated fact' exactly? Lol...

 

Is that so? Not a hint of being judgemental there... Is this the same way you deal with your clients?

No, and I will tell you why

 

Because I know who I am working with, I do enough research to understand the clients needs and the client, I check that we can work together and I use contracts, terms of service and get deposits BEFORE any work is undertaken to these problem do not arise in the first place, we BOTH understand what is expected and what will happen, it's a little concept called 'communication' maybe you have heard of it The very simple thing you should have done to begin with.

Educated fact.. Erm degree level facts learnt and used plus experience for the last 10 years I doubt you have that otherwise such an elementary mistake would never have happened.

I agree with the second point but I think the 1st is yet another assumption.

 

You can get a degree in web design. That's interesting...

I don't think this is going anywhere I'm afraid - I'm out.

Yes you can get a degree in web design http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/study-here/courses/undergraduate/web-design.aspx

That must mean you took yours ten years ago and is clearly up-to-date with industry trends and technology.

 

I see this is the only question you've actually answered - well done.

I can put you onto her if you like as it seems you have it all worked out... Let me know.

No, I have been building website for 10 years before taking this degree, your presumption is incorrect, I was self taught to a point and wanted to take it further and believe me it really did open my eyes to a lot of things which is why I tried to offer solutions firstly and not criticise your inexperience but since you needed it spelt out that's what I did

Good for you.

 

Do you want me to put you in touch with the lady in question?

I am usually open to new work, right this very moment though I am a little busy with our local council website.. If you are really not interested in the work yourself I am sure with your extended experience you could find a decent company to take the work off you.

Fuzzy Logic, are you sure that is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

 

citypaul, I was happy to go along with it albeit against my recommendation. I too would never have agreed to the job had I seen these images first. I was always civil with her.

 

This is the last e-mail I received from her on the 10th June:

 

"In response I appreciate the work you have put in on this site and your particular stylings of the website.

I am travelling for the next couple of days, and I will arrange for transfer of payment, and will reconnect at weekend when I have access to email."

Just received an e-mail from the lady in question - allegedly still travelling and has allegedly not had access to the internet although her Facebook page paints a different story.

 

Also begs the question as to why she couldn't transfer the deposit before she left as it not like this is a highly time consuming task.

 

With regards to the gallery images etc., they are not the only poor quality material she has sent across. The video material is just as bad...

 

I minded to tell her to get lost at the moment but thought I would gratefully receive a few thoughts before I do that.

Yep, she is in New York it's not like she is in the middle of nowhere.

 

I've received an e-mail or two saying a deposit has been transferred so will wait and see.

 

Already spent ages on it...

Did u get paid??

Did u get paid??

 

Yep, got a deposit paid. As to the rest I can only hope for the best.

 

Thanks for checking.

great, this was a weird story, hope u learned a lesson n happy that u got paid eventually.