STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

I am speechless.

FashionPrincess · Hermes

How rude! I'm so sorry that you are having to deal with this. Fingers crossed that it all works out!

greca · BCBG

That really is terrible, SB. If it makes you feel anybetter, a good friend of mine who is also an interior designer has also had similar issues with clients and it's really frusterating. Some people just can't seem to wrap their heads around the idea that your time and ideas are valuable, even though it isn't a "tangible" item as you said...

Did you have a signed contract with them in case you need to take legal action?

Good luck!

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

greca wrote:

That really is terrible, SB. If it makes you feel anybetter, a good friend of mine who is also an interior designer has also had similar issues with clients and it's really frusterating. Some people just can't seem to wrap their heads around the idea that your time and ideas are valuable, even though it isn't a "tangible" item as you said...

Did you have a signed contract with them in case you need to take legal action?

Yeah, I know this can happen--I've heard stories from professors--but it still sort of baffles me. Like, if you're hiring me, you've GOT to know that you're not going to get any tangible three-dimensional object that you can point to and say "that's where my money went," so why are you then upset when you do not, in fact, wind up with said three-dimensional object?

And yes, I do have a contract, thank god, which also makes me wonder why they are bothering with this, since they know they are legally obligated to pay me whether they like it or not. Ugh.

jacks435 · Kenneth Cole

That is awful. I'm mad for you! I hope you're able to get it resolved and get your payment soon. What they're doing just isn't right.

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

That is terrible! I feel so bad for you. The nerve of those people trying to get out of paying you what you earned, AND making you wait so long to communicate. Totally wrong and unprofessional. Did you send them the email?

squishy · Coach

sephorablue wrote:

Yeah, I know this can happen--I've heard stories from professors--but it still sort of baffles me. Like, if you're hiring me, you've GOT to know that you're not going to get any tangible three-dimensional object that you can point to and say "that's where my money went," so why are you then upset when you do not, in fact, wind up with said three-dimensional object?

And yes, I do have a contract, thank god, which also makes me wonder why they are bothering with this, since they know they are legally obligated to pay me whether they like it or not. Ugh.

wait. so they agreed to the contract, but now they're trying to get out of it? i don't get why they're even bothering to try and rip you off. it's like they want to be unprofessional dickwads.

and i can't believe they made you wait so long. they're such passive-aggressive tweens. did they think you'd disappear if they ignored you for long enough? how can they still be in business with half a brain and zero professionalism?

if you can't tell, i'm uber-pissed for you. i hope you resolve this ASAP before the holidays.

atlgirl · Gucci

SB I am so sorry that they're acting like this. Your time and your ideas *of course* are valuable! What idiots. I'm very glad you have a contract...though having one and having to enforce it are two different things. I hope you don't have to expend to much time and money to make them pay up!

Is it possible to have future clients pay up front for your time / work? I am assuming this is a corporate client and maybe it works differently in that arena, but I always thought if I ever hired an interior designer to work with us on our house, that we'd have to pay up front.

I hope you're able to resolve this quickly. It will suck if you don't want to do any more work with them, but if you have to, just do it as quickly as possible and then move on to more positive experiences. Please let us know how things turn out.

Hermes

sephorablue wrote:

Must resume drafting an email to politely but firmly tell them that in no way is my fee optional or subject to their approval.

And yes, I do have a contract, thank god, which also makes me wonder why they are bothering with this, since they know they are legally obligated to pay me whether they like it or not. Ugh."

I think you are handling this the right way. Even though people have a contract, they don't always take them seriously. I would be professionally and pleasantly persistent in your collection efforts. If they do not pay within the period specified on your contract, do not hesitate for one second to take them to small claims court.

You may also want to consider coming up with a spiel when you are signing contracts. Or possibly include a small paragraph at the top of the contract in that they understand they are purchasing a service, that your service does not include a tangible product, and that the fee is not optional or subject to approval after the terms are agreed upon.

It's just important to manage expectations as much as possible up-front, as icky and uncomfortable as it is, and assume no understanding or knowledge on their part.

Good luck, and please keep us updated.

NCshopper · Hermes

Oooh, that sucks. I feel for ya. They're being really shitty on this.

blubirde · Chanel

I'd be livid. What nerve! Stick it to 'em and if they still don't pay, head to small claims court, like D said.

Good luck!

member · Hermes

That totally sucks - what jerks! I'm just so glad you have a signed contract to protect you. Let us know how they respond. I hope you get your money very soon.

cat · Marc Jacobs

That sucks. Like wtf makes them think they can get away with not paying you when you have a contract.

Christine · Coach

SB, just reading your story makes me mad. I'm sending "they'd-better-pay-you-right-now" vibes your way!

sephorablue · Marc Jacobs

D wrote:

You may also want to consider coming up with a spiel when you are signing contracts. Or possibly include a small paragraph at the top of the contract in that they understand they are purchasing a service, that your service does not include a tangible product, and that the fee is not optional or subject to approval after the terms are agreed upon.
It's just important to manage expectations as much as possible up-front, as icky and uncomfortable as it is, and assume no understanding or knowledge on their part.

Yeah I was thinking along these lines, too. I think the reason they think they're entitled to do this is that they have it in their heads that this is a "pay part up front, pay the balance upon successful completion" sort of scenario, but that's not the case. Our contract clearly says that I will be compensated for my time on an hourly basis, and so whether or not they are happy with my progress so far is irrelevant--if I have worked 28 hours, they are required to pay me for 28 hours, not some other amount that they deem appropriate for the results I have achieved. Part of their complaint was that I've already spent so much time on it and we still have so many things to take care of, but that's not for lack of my trying--I've shown them ideas for all the things on their shopping list, but they only decided to purchase a few of them. And obviously every time they don't like something, I have to go back and spend more time trying to find something that IS right for them. That's the whole point of what they hired me to do. They are simultaneously complaining that I have spent too much time, and that they have too few final purchases... I can't win.

Anyway, tonight I am going to write out a very professional letter and send it to them, and see how they respond. I'll keep you guys posted!

Kitty · Hermes

They're "opting out of payment" !? What bull shit.

I'm sorry, that sucks :( You should definitely take them to small claims if they don't agree to pay. I've had to do this before - no fun.

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Grrrr, what jerks! Please let us know what happens -- I am mad on your behalf! Good for you for not backing down.