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visa
i did a job for a client. he owns me money from the past. we agreed at the at the start of this year I will wait till he has the money from last year,, but every job from this point on is c.o.d with visa. on every job this year he sent a courier to pick up the final product and I would fax him the invoice with a visa form. but it has been 3 weeks since the job is out and it’s on air right now. do i just charge his visa without a signature??? we met his budget and delivered. before this job started he did not pay for the last because he wanted to pay half price, then the new job came in the one that i’m waiting to get paid on c.o.d it haas been 3 weeks. i said you have to pay for the last job first before i start the new job becuase of the out standing money. he said he wanted to pay half price i said no i will give you a discount but not half price. he said i will take the new job elsewhere, i said fine. then a few hours latter his worker called me and said his boss is pissed off and will pay the last job with the discount that i offered. so he wanted me to do the new job at a fixed price and i told him this price includes 14 hours anything more you will be charged for it….well the job came within budget and like i said he sent a courier to pick it up and i sent over a visa form and should have been c.o.d….it has been 3 weeks now and he is bouncing me around with his accountant. i sent out a reminder email last week and heard nothing back. what do i do?
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25 Replies
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Stop being a doormat?
Run the VISA as soon as it is signed. Or insist on cash.
I understand that it is often an extra financial burden to get a merchant credit card account so you can process electronically, I think a lot of people doing the smaller jobs are using PayPal, which works like a credit card, in fact can be slaved to your credit card, lets you do instant payments over the web and generate shipping datea as well if you want, but you don’t have the huge fees of merchant accounts.
Some people are down on Paypal after having had a bad experience, but I haven’t had a lick of trouble yet myself. I think for small-budget lone wolf operators it can make a lot of sense if you set it up right. Just one more option in your arsenal.
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i have a merchant account i dont have a signature and he has the product for 3 weeks. he said he was going to fax me a signature for the last 3 weeks and nothing. i called him twice and his accountant 3 times and sent him 2 emails and still nothing. if i put it through the visa without a signature he can fight it and get his money back. what do i do? if i got to collections there is no garentee to get money either for all the passed money that he has outstanding. how do i fix this? and get my money.
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John,
When was the last time you went to a store and bought something with a promise?
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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I KNOW BUT I FEEL IF YOU MAKE IT TO HARD WITH A CLIENT THEY WILL GO SOMEWHERE ELES WHAT DO YOU THINK? HE HAS BEEN PAYING ME WITH VISA ALL YEAR ABOUT 1-2 JOBS A MONTH SO I TOOK HIS WORD FOR IT.
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I know you’re frustrated, but it’s no reason to start yelling…
Living in fear of losing clients is a bitch, but doing business on a wing and a prayer isn’t good business, and real businesses (like stores) don’t do it.
My advice to you is, either go after the guy, or write the whole thing off, but don’t sit around a stew about it, that’ll kill you.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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sorry did mean to come across as yelling, just a big mess. he just paid me for the last job, what do i do about the last year outstanding it’s a lot of money and doesnt want to make a payment plan. or future work how should i handle this account, he is a grinder.
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[johnsabbath d’urzo] “or future work how should i handle this account, he is a grinder.”
Either drop him, or he pays with cash or signs the Visa slip before he gets the final product.
He wants dubs to go to air? He pays you before you hand over the tapes. If he wants to send a courier, you send him the invoice and the courier brings it along, signed and paid, or the courier brings cash. If the courier shows up without the cash or signed slip, send him/her back without the tapes. Remember: No tapes until you get the money.
Regarding last year’s money–if you really want him to pay it, stop doing work for him now until he’s current on all outstanding bills. If he takes him work elsewhere and won’t pay, go to small claims court (but good luck ever getting a dime). If this guy is a grinder you need to either learn to deal with him (get paid before you give him the final product!!) or cut him loose. Otherwise he’s going to keep taking advantage of you and you’ll always be owed money.
Michael.
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what legal term on the contract or invoice do i put down for c.o.d? on future jobs with this guy.
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[johnsabbath d’urzo] “what legal term on the contract or invoice do i put down for c.o.d? on future jobs with this guy.”
LOL… After all the previous posts, you are still worried about future jobs with him…
He’s going to grind you and grind you until you pop. You either put your foot down now, or give up and admit he owns you.
EDIT: After looking at your previous topics, I really hope this isnt the same client. I have a bad feeling that this is the same client, and he’s still stringing you along. I predict next month we will see another post about how he REALLY owes you money, and how you have to work with him so he will start to pay you the money he owes you.
I do mean sound harsh. He will not change unless you make him change. That won’t happen until you change your behavior. You may think you are doing good by keeping busy with work, but the truth is you are in a dead end situation, and you have to stop.
I truly hope we don’t hear about this client again.moody glasgow
editing.compositing.design -
[johnsabbath d’urzo] “THEY WILL GO SOMEWHERE ELES “
Are you afraid that he will go somewhere else and screw other people? It’s not real sex. It’s just slang. Get a divorce right now. The time you spend chasing this dog and his money could be time spent chasing a new client who will respect and pay you. You’re starting to sound like a battered wife who keeps going home. After a second time, it’s your fault.
How much money are we talking about here? $50 or $50,000?
Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .
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