F***

[lefteyewilly]

After working for almost 8 months on one friggin freelance brochure project on and off, i suddenly get some revisions and was told "We need this now" 4 times by the company that hired me to do the work for the business that they didn't have time to do the work for.

I work my ass off and put off all my other projects this entire week (including March Madness and Roll Canvas). I send the finals and say to both the hiring company and the business, "hey, i know this is priority, so please send changes before we send finals as soon as possible so i can make one last set of changes".

3 friggin days later...absolutely nothing.

Why the hell do people rush to get things done and then not have the god damned common courtesy to give someone the time of day to finish the friggin project.

I got paid for the first half of the time i spent on mock-ups, so i'm happy about that, but it's the time wasted on what i could have been doing other things (not just FK stuff) or absolutely perfecting what was given to me as changes for a final product.

I'm so friggin pissed right now. And what's worse is i can't force issues with my hiring company as they work with me through my normal day job as well, so i'm stuck in the middle of everything.

For the time constraints and non responsiveness, i'm going to double the hours on the invoice because they both F'd with me and as it's been 8 FRIGGIN MONTHS of the same project with no communication between the 3 parties, I don't friggin care anymore!

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHGHGHGHGHHGHG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

</angry late night rant>

[Chris_Seahorn]

Sounds like you better make your avatar a 40 oz

[DaVulf]

No worries lefty. That sucks, but I'm sure things will work out. Nothing says 'you fu**ed up' to a company more than a double billing.

Have you told it to them straight how you're pissed off that they didn't give you more notice on something like this? Like... "I can't work miracles guys... give me some information here." It doesn't seem fair that they would ask you to do something on such short notice..

Well, I hope you feel better.

[kortex]

Sounds like you better make your avatar a 40 oz

Better make that a 40 of Tornad (assuming they still sell it up there)

[lefteyewilly]

well, here's the thing...the company that hired me is kind of 'country bumpkin'...a little slow on the customer service. However, after they gave me permission to contact my 'client', who happens to be in a state that is abbreviated with AK, (finally) by sending PDF's, i CC'ed my hiring company on the email. Seeing it was the final end client that was forcing the time, i thought they'd be the first ones to respond....NOTHING.

Yup, doubling the bill. And if they have problems with that then maybe they shouldn't be charging $7000 for a 6 day vacation for one person in the coldest friggin place in the world (not including airfare mind you).

RARARRRARARRRRARAAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If i lose march madness, i'm charging triple!

[gerbick]

wow... I can see why you're mad. dunno what to say dude.

can I add some charges... I feel your pain. that's worth at least 3 cents

[PAlexC]

Sounds like you learned a bit of a lesson in client management.

[lefteyewilly]

Sounds like you learned a bit of a lesson in client management.

how do you mean? try to push them more into getting it done?

if so, do you disagree with my triple billing system?

[PAlexC]

Hey, triple billing is always good. But I always layout a project timeline broken down by client vs. my responsibilities. I make it clear that delays on their end can't be made up on mine. If they push 3 days, the whole thing moves 3 days, I can't make that time up.

[hanratty21]

Hey, triple billing is always good. But I always layout a project timeline broken down by client vs. my responsibilities. I make it clear that delays on their end can't be made up on mine. If they push 3 days, the whole thing moves 3 days, I can't make that time up.

MS Project is always good for showing this concept to people. I show them the timelines upfront. When stuff moves, since all tasks are predecessors of each other, they all move. People get the idea pretty fast.

[FlashLackey]

heh. ive seen this pattern so many times. i consider it the "McDonalds Technique" of project management. basically, create way more urgency than needed and push up deadlines well before they are needed in anticipation of delays.

[jasonsplace]

I've seen problems like this with a lot of clients. They tell you that your project is their number one priority but then they don't have time to give you the information or to review what you send them. I recently did a site for a lodge up in Alaska. They said they needed it done within a week. They said i'd have the information withing 2 days. The next day I sent them a layout. 3 days later I e-mailed again to ask if they reviewed it or had the information. I e-mailed a couple more times later and finally a week and a half later I got an e-mail with half of the information also telling me that the design was ok. I put in what they had. Two weeks later I got the rest in. It's done now but it took 3 weeks longer than it should have because it wasn't a priority for them. I think most people expect you to be late so they give you a buffer and then when you're on time they ignore you and you get upset.

[PAlexC]

MS Project is always good for showing this concept to people. I show them the timelines upfront. When stuff moves, since all tasks are predecessors of each other, they all move. People get the idea pretty fast.

Gantt charts, a project manager's best friend.

We used them for projects in college, used to stretch an entire wall.

[lefteyewilly]

I've seen problems like this with a lot of clients. They tell you that your project is their number one priority but then they don't have time to give you the information or to review what you send them. I recently did a site for a lodge up in Alaska. I think most people expect you to be late so they give you a buffer and then when you're on time they ignore you and you get upset.

woah...that's crazy....it's my EXACT situation. HOw many lodges are in Alaska?

[gerbick]

Hell, why don't you both get a lodge out the deals you've had with Alaskan companies...

That's the last state I have yet to visit.

[jAQUAN]

You don't use an adjustment fee (rush charge)? Of course it's only fair if you let them know up front. Your work order is usually part of a list of responsibilities for your contact. They're just trying to time everything right and money always seems to clear their mind.

Just the same, I'm constantly in shock at the complete lack of a minds eye some people have. "Do you think in text!?"

[jasonsplace]

woah...that's crazy....it's my EXACT situation. HOw many lodges are in Alaska?

This is the 2nd that i've done a site for and both have been really bad to work with. The first was like 5 years ago. The contract said that they'd pay us for upkeep and that'd include hosting. As soon as the site was finished they stopped paying and answering our calls so we took down the site and never heard from them again.

[pea3698]

I'm with Gerbick. I want pain and suffering as well. Suck it up Lefteye. Charge extra for your troubles and if they pay it will all just be a memory.

[silverx2]

i wish i had your problems.

come talk to me a week before a new phone system is due to be installed, and your wiring is 80% done, but the guy that supposed to be drilling through the walls and lifting me on a forklift 3 stories to dangle 6 pieces of cat5 cable through a whole the size of a silver dollar only works one day a week and due to snow hasnt been in. so your stuck with 6600 feet of cable to run with no holes to run it through, then there is terminating, putting up molding to make it pretty and testing.

yeah excuse me if i dont shed any tears because your client wants to change the background from white to off white.

[lefteyewilly]

Sorry for the bump...but

2 months almost to the day...this thing is completely off my desk. I'm working up my invoice and adding at least 2 hours to each 'service item' for the delays. I'm magically creating 'service items' just to recoup the money with out questions.

Thank ****ing god this thing is done.