Other Software > Developer's Corner

Strange customer...

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mouser:
my experience has been that you can detect scams on first contact.

in the case of your customer, i suspect everything is fine and on the up-and-up, and you're just experiencing the normal uncertainties and delays of business as usual.

Veign:
Adding to mouser:  A phone call goes a long way.  Call and talk with him on the phone.  *Alot* of things can be cleared up with a simple phone call.

John2k:
Hello all,

I eventuallty got an email back, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting...
He never mentioned the passport situation, he just asked if I could make some minor alterations to the program.
When I say minor, he wants me to attach to various processes and perform some Lotus API programming. Hardly minor considering what the projects worth...

If I hadn't committed myself without proper terms in place, all this wouldn't be happening, it's turning out to be a nightmare.

I'll keep you posted, if and when a contract appears!

Veign:
Ask for some sort of 'good faith' payment before making additional changes outside the scope of the original spec.

Ralf Maximus:
All you need to do is assemble a quotation for the additional work and send it to him.  Estimate the number of hours it'll take you (+ 25% since these things ALWAYS take longer than anyone thinks) then send it to him for approval.  Keep it polite.  Tell him if he wants the work done, all he has to do is approve the quote via email and you'll jump on it, with delivery by date x.

It'll accomplish a couple of things: (1) indicate that the party is over, no more "minor mods" for free, (2) shows in a professional manner that you disagree with his definition of "minor" without making a big deal of it, and (3) serves as a defacto contract that you can wave around later for payment.  If he agrees, and you deliver, you're owed the money.  Period.

Of course this won't replace a real contact if/when that comes, but it'll cover this small bit of extra work.

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