Who Owns Accounts

[hugger38]

I have been told in googles eyes if a client pays google direct even if an agency or an sem'r has created the account, the client physically owns the account. This isnt very fair on the agency. Guys make sure you agree the terms with the client and clarify ownership of the accounts in any contracts you may be writing. I have been caught like this twice now. Any one else had any problems?

[netmeg]

Hunh?

Of course my clients own their accounts; they pay the bills, they pay me to run them for them, but they belong to the clients.

I was going to ask if you seriously got clients to agree to any other arrangement, but the fact that you've been burned kinda indicates that you haven't.

[hugger38]

Depends on the commercials when they come on board doesnt it. If you build the accounts from scratch why would your client own them if they havent paid upfront for a build. For example 10 accounts built and structured takes you 1 month. Client takes one months traffic from you changes passwords and walks. You would never make that commercially viable would you? Big builds take time as you know and if the client doesnt stay past the build you will make a loss. Dont you agree? It happened to me so just wanted to give a heads up.

[netmeg]

I dunno; I charge by the hour, so I get paid no matter how much time it takes. And in five years, I haven't had a client walk away in less than a year anyway.

I know if I were a client, I sure wouldn't agree to such a thing. But maybe that's just me.

[poster_boy]

If you build the accounts from scratch why would your client own them if they havent paid upfront for a build.

Personally, I wouldn't go through an extensive set-up unless I was paid up-front - or had a contract for a minimum period of time.