Uncompleted work - after so long how when do you invoice?

TDesignCo

TDesignCo

Member
Hi all

I have a customer who in October last year was in a screaming hurry for a logo. I promptly produced 2 designs for him which in November he was 'mulling over'

I dropped him 2 emails, one just before Christmas and he hasnt replied to my latest last week.

Question is how long to you leave a project/client as Im really tempted to invoice him for work thus far (luckily its not a huge amount..)

Thanks
Toby
 
You can try invoicing but I wouldn't hold out too much hope of getting any money. I've learnt this lesson a few times and have now put deposits right up to cover this situation. If they disappear then at least make sure your time is covered if not any profit. Customers who are setting up new ventures often go like a bull at a gate and then they can tail off and vanish as quickly as they appeared, perhaps deciding that their 'Dragon's Den' idea got an 'I'm out' from Peter Jones.
 
When you complete a job for someone, you should then invoice them and be paid sooner rather than later. There is no excuse for delays in payment in this day and age. Especially since you did him a favour and did a 'rush job' so to speak. When I do a job I expect to be paid within 3 weeks. And I have never had to wait more than 2 weeks.
 
Corrosive said:
You can try invoicing but I wouldn't hold out too much hope of getting any money. I've learnt this lesson a few times and have now put deposits right up to cover this situation. If they disappear then at least make sure your time is covered if not any profit. Customers who are setting up new ventures often go like a bull at a gate and then they can tail off and vanish as quickly as they appeared, perhaps deciding that their 'Dragon's Den' idea got an 'I'm out' from Peter Jones.
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Yeah that's another point, you shouldn't be sending anyone final completions of your work without full payment or at least a deposit.
 
Not a situation I've found myself in yet but I wouldn't be shy about it: I guess the question is, what would you do if they decided to cancel the logo altogether? (Answer: bill for hours worked). Perhaps suggest that the work needs to move to completion on account of your upcoming schedule and that, if they're not in a position to move on it right now, you'll need to submit an interim invoice for hours worked to date.

What's the worst that can happen?
 
I too have a client like this. Agreed a price for some brochures in September last year. Waited until November for the brief. Sent a few ideas over to them a week later. Within hours I had an email back confirming the design they wanted to use and that they were changing the copy. Mid December email came stating 'new copy attached' but no attachment. I emailed back to point out the lack of copy and that was the last contact I had. I'm tempted to sack it off as a bad job and submit an invoice for the work done but they'll probably be back soon for another couple of hours of work. lol
 
Just make sure they're not taking you for a ride. I'd check that they're not using the logo without paying you. :thumb:
 
So the customer has finally come back to me wanting some more tweaks to the logo design, and promising some stationary work etc....

this is fine but should I make him pay for the work thus far? Next time it's deposit upfront!
 
TDesignCo said:
... should I make him pay for the work thus far?
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I'd say so; the fact that they're lining up new work is positive but, in view of your experience so far, I'd want to see some money before getting into it. If they want to wait until the current work is complete, say you need to get in any money owed in for accountancy purposes and say you'll add the balance to the bill for the stationery job.
 
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