How much time do you allow for submission of all content?

[LABachlr]

I have a client who seems to be taking their time with submitting all of their content. What is the average time that you give a client to submit all of their content? What happens if they don't meet that deadline?

Also, what time period do you give them to make the last payment for the construction of their site? And if they are taking a long time to submit their content, do you ask for the final payment anyway if the deadline has been reached for the final payment, and all of their content has not been submitted?

I know it depends on how big the project is, but let's just say that it is only a 10 page project for a small business.

[coopster]

I have a client who seems to be taking their time with submitting all of their content. What is the average time that you give a client to submit all of their content? What happens if they don't meet that deadline?

It's called...
Project Assumptions:
In order to identify and estimate the required tasks and timing for the project, certain assumptions and premises need to be made. Based on the current knowledge today, the project assumptions are listed below. If an assumption is invalidated at a later date, then the activities and estimates in the project plan should be adjusted accordingly.

• Some information has already been collected and is readily available to help establish the marketable vision.
• Sub-group members, divisions and others will offer their resources in a timely manner to collaborate and assist in the plan development.

We have found it is much easier if all the details are laid out up front. If you are developing in phases, set dates and tasks to be accomplished by those dates, as well as conveying the fact that payments are due upon phase completion. And yes, when payment is due, payment is due. Your clients likely have a business to run, or at least know how it works. Without payments, there is no more business.

Best of Luck :)

[Undead Hunter]

LA:

That happened to us last year with a really small client. Paid us half down, small amount. We put up a single page, his contact info, etc. Waited. Emailed him every month - "hang on it's almost done" - of course, the second 1/2 of the payment was due when he got us the stuff.

Well, he never did. His site went down - I think he's out of business. Probably the most profitable single page I've ever made. :-)

Anyway - if you're not comfortable with that possibility - if they don't have it written when you get payment, specify a date upfront in your contract (that THEY choose, not you, you get better buy-in that way), and a "project continuation fee" if they don't get the content to you by X amount of days. We do it - and even though one client was late, we *didn't* charge them the fee... that became a bonus in our column! Although we would definitely have charged it if we weren't done everything else up to that point... it didn't actually cost us time or money, we went on marketing for the next client.

[LABachlr]

Hey Hunter,

Yeah, I really have to start getting very detailed in my contract. I'm realizing that real quick! There are so many contingencies to account for.

Once again, this is a friend, so it is a sticky situation. And my friend and his partner are going through some tough personal times right now (separate from each other). So I really can't do much about this one, as I am not a callous person. But this is definitely teaching me a lesson for future projects!

Paid us half down, small amount. We put up a single page, his contact info, etc. Waited. Emailed him every month - "hang on it's almost done" - of course, the second 1/2 of the payment was due when he got us the stuff.

Well, he never did. His site went down - I think he's out of business. Probably the most profitable single page I've ever made. :-)

I actually just dealt with this situation with another client/"friend". It had gone on for four months - no content (there's a thread about that as well: see "Doing Business with Friends" in this same forum category). Finally had to cut his site and email off today. Killed me to do it, but business is business.

I have to stop doing business with friends. ;) I'm half kidding/half serious. Just for anyone else out there. Here is some advice for someone who has learned from the school of Hard Knocks:

HAVE A CONTRACT - FRIEND OR NO FRIEND

Trust me on that one. It will save a lot of hassle for both of you. And make sure you spell out all possible terms of the deal, deadlines, what could go wrong and remedies for those unexpected problems, etc. It may seem unfriendly-like to do so, but it is even more unfriendly-like if the deal goes south.

[coopster]

"...as I am not a callous person."

You don't have to be callous -- be friendly, personable, but be a business-person. Remember, you have a committment to other clients as well and to uphold that committment means you must remain profitable.

[LABachlr]

You don't have to be callous -- be friendly, personable, but be a business-person. Remember, you have a committment to other clients as well and to uphold that committment means you must remain profitable.

Good point.