How long should I leave it?

bigdave

bigdave

Well-Known Member
In October last year, a friend asked me if it was possible to build a site for her mums shop. It was only a basic 4 page site so well within my abilities. The site went live 2 weeks ago still unfinished!..

I emailed the client a few days before I uploaded the site to let them know it was ready for checking but there was some content I was still waiting for from her. I heard nothing back from the client so emailed again a couple of days later to let her know I'd sorted the content management system for the site and could really do with the remainder of the content to get the site signed off... Still nothing!

I ended up texting my friend to find out if her mum (the client) had got my emails & what the problem was. She told me told that her grandma (the clients mum) had been taken into hospital over christmas and was still there so it may take her a while to reply. Obviously, shes going to have to spend time helping her aging mum while she in hospital but Im quite sure she wont just have closed her shop up and stopped checking emails! How much longer should I leave it before trying to make contact again? It's been dragging on and on for ages and I'd quite like to get paid soon!
 
I’m guessing for a 4 page website for a friends mum you’re not charging much to start with so I’d leave it for as long as it takes for her mum to get better if it was me. It’s not going to help anything if she feels you’re hassling her - maybe give it a week and send an email wishing best regards etc to the grannie and saying that you will just wait for her response for when everything’s OK again.

A question though, 4 page website content management system? Isn’t this a bit overkill or am I out of touch. What CMS did you use?

I have far too many websites sat waiting for content, so much so that the next website on the list is getting my good self writing the copy for it!
 
I agree with DJB - the website is probably the last thing on your client's mind when there's a family member in hospital. I would leave it a little while before contacting her again.

I'm guessing that you didn't get a deposit before starting the work?
 
She's wanting to update the site with local events, pictures etc.. Ive done the site dirt cheap (I'm literally making nothing on it once I've paid fuel to see her and my internet/ electric bills) but mentioned that I would have to charge a monthly fee for regular updates and she wasn't keen on the idea of paying for the updates so I've set up a basic CushyCMS account and added the bits she wants editing.
 
If you're done, I'd raise the invoice as usual (including your usual timescales) but add a note saying that you're aware of the present circumstances and that she should let you know if it's going to be a problem (to which you will respond with appropriate symapthy/understanding): in short, if it's important, keep it on the radar.
 
I relented and called her the other day. Her mum's still in hospital but is on the mend (I didn't bother asking whats actually wrong). There are a couple of changes she wants to make to the site and then were done! She's busy with her tax return at the moment so I'm going over to see her some time in the 1st week of feb to walk her through the CMS (although, the changes she's making render it almost pointless) and hopefully pick up what will now have become little more than my travel expenses.
 
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