Recalcitrant Acceptance

Saturday, January 08, 2011

I am learning.

Nowadays my proposals carry the stock phrase:

“Within fourteen calendar days of delivery of the product, acceptance must be decided.”.

Why?

I have seen too many small projects wither on the vine because I deliver the system, the client either has lost interest or shrugs and thinks “Good Enough” and can’t be bothered signing off. In which case two more clauses kick in:

“If the product is not accepted, then the project is deemed to be ended, all work will cease, and all support will cease.”

and

“Ongoing support of the project starts when the balance of payment is received.”

If the proposal says the project will cost $5,000 and 50% is payable in advance, then I have $2,500 in hand before I start work.

At the time I think the system is ready, I want to deliver, fix any niggling issues, and be paid for the balance.

If the second 50% is not forthcoming, I can walk away with a clear conscience, although chances are neither party is a happy as we ought to be.

Note that the client has two weeks to email or phone me; that period covers all sorts of personal medical emergencies at home, or a day of short-staffing at work. I need SOME form of feedback during that 14-day period.

I have refined my approach of dragging a client kicking and screaming into the future:

I now email the package for initial perusal, and say that I will follow that up with an on-site visit if necessary. The on-site visit is factored into my budget (time and money).

Right now I have a client whose meter has been ticking for a week. I will send them an email reminding them of the clause in an effort to shake them loose and set up an on-site meeting.

Otherwise I will hold the emailed delivery as delivery and a week from now I can shred the project notes and focus on stronger clients.

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