Strongback
Registered User
- Messages
- 45
I am a consultant in the building industry and run my own small business.
A retailer with a number of shops recently engaged me to carry out some consultancy work in relation to the renovation of an old building that he has opened a new shop in recently.
I met the retailer and outlined what work was required and my fee for carry out my work. Everything proceeded smoothly even though I felt the client was somewhat arrogant. I completed the work I said I would in a short space of time as I was not busy that week. I delivered my package of information by email and that is when the client starting questioning my brief. My response to this was to reiterate the brief we agreed in an email in a professional and unemotional style. At this stage I still had some supervision of the work to do which amounted to about 25% of the fee.
Well you can guess what happened next, the client won't take my calls or respond to emails. I have delivered on what I said I would including giving assurances to the landlord of the property that the client is renting from.
This is an unusual situation for me as developing client relationships is one of my strong points, when I worked in a multinational company I even won an award for it. The above situation has never happened to me before in 18 years in the business. I have had problems being paid like everyone else but never has someone so blantantly set me up.
I know I probably have little avenue for recourse and I think I am writing this out of frustation more than anything, a problem shared and all that.
I have provided consultany for some of the top retailers in the country and it is true they can be very tough to deal with as they don't like having to do anything that might temporarily stop money flowing through the tills. I can understand that but I have never come across the level of rutlessness I have on this recent job.
If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it although I am guessing I am going to writing this job off as a bad debt. I will probably withdraw from the job soon as my insurance is exposed until I write a letter breaking off my involvement.
Has anyone else seen a new level of ruthlessness out there?
A retailer with a number of shops recently engaged me to carry out some consultancy work in relation to the renovation of an old building that he has opened a new shop in recently.
I met the retailer and outlined what work was required and my fee for carry out my work. Everything proceeded smoothly even though I felt the client was somewhat arrogant. I completed the work I said I would in a short space of time as I was not busy that week. I delivered my package of information by email and that is when the client starting questioning my brief. My response to this was to reiterate the brief we agreed in an email in a professional and unemotional style. At this stage I still had some supervision of the work to do which amounted to about 25% of the fee.
Well you can guess what happened next, the client won't take my calls or respond to emails. I have delivered on what I said I would including giving assurances to the landlord of the property that the client is renting from.
This is an unusual situation for me as developing client relationships is one of my strong points, when I worked in a multinational company I even won an award for it. The above situation has never happened to me before in 18 years in the business. I have had problems being paid like everyone else but never has someone so blantantly set me up.
I know I probably have little avenue for recourse and I think I am writing this out of frustation more than anything, a problem shared and all that.
I have provided consultany for some of the top retailers in the country and it is true they can be very tough to deal with as they don't like having to do anything that might temporarily stop money flowing through the tills. I can understand that but I have never come across the level of rutlessness I have on this recent job.
If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it although I am guessing I am going to writing this job off as a bad debt. I will probably withdraw from the job soon as my insurance is exposed until I write a letter breaking off my involvement.
Has anyone else seen a new level of ruthlessness out there?