What would you do with this client???

[PauFerro]

Never looked into it, but I know they take a huge portion of it. It's like factoring accounts receivable, and they don't give you much on the dollar because they know you don't think you can collect anyway. Further, the dollars are relatively small compared to what other companies would send to collection agencies. We ain't GE Capital...

I didn't answer your previous questions because I am not interested in sending it to a collection agency because

a) the vast majority of transactions have worked very well, and we have cleared the air, to so speak, about future bookings.
b) The client used to work for a sister company in the property management conglomerate, and I am sure they talk. In fact, she was my client at the sister company before moving on to a new location (for one gig, which she also messed up as a client). A new manager is there, and she is fabulous.
c) In spite of being a bad client on this one gig at the new location, I have another 5 bookings with her. She has doubled my Christmas gigs.
c) She did the right thing and offered us an additional date.

New Development: She just emailed me AGAIN with another date for us. So, we lost one gig due to her inaction, but she replaced it with two more for us. I am happy now. Glad I played firm softball on this.

Love the trade credit terms idea -- need to think about that. I normally get paid before the gig, so offering trade credit with an early payment clause might actually slow down my cash flow, without giving a very measureable return, since the dollars are not huge overall. Unlike a manufacturing order of $50,000 where the cost savings to the buyer are likely significant to encourage action.

 

[CGremlin]

I normally get paid before the gig, so offering trade credit with an early payment clause might actually slow down my cash flow, without giving a very measureable return, since the dollars are not huge overall. Unlike a manufacturing order of $50,000 where the cost savings to the buyer are likely significant to encourage action.

Yeah, it doesn't work for everything. In the consulting world, though, it can sometimes help goose them into moving the payment along.

 

[BrotherEarl]

For real, what they do go to small claims court lose hundreds of dollars from missing work?

The value isn't in winning the suit.

The value is in the threat that you're willing to take that time off, for as much as it takes, to make their lives miserable.

It's the same threat cachet of telling someone in Support that if they don't make something right then you will take a little time out of your day, every day, and find a new and exciting way to slam them and their service or product. It's about your time being less valuable than theirs and being willing to drag them down with you....and letting them know that under no uncertain terms.

Oh, and the joy of doing so as publicly as possible in social media and shaming them in front of other musicians, customers and business contacts.

 

[Nephilymbass]

The value isn't in winning the suit.

The value is in the threat that you're willing to take that time off, for as much as it takes, to make their lives miserable.

It's the same threat cachet of telling someone in Support that if they don't make something right then you will take a little time out of your day, every day, and find a new and exciting way to slam them and their service or product. It's about your time being less valuable than theirs and being willing to drag them down with you....and letting them know that under no uncertain terms.

Oh, and the joy of doing so as publicly as possible in social media and shaming them in front of other musicians, customers and business contacts.

Yeah but then you’re using time slamming them which may or may not hurt them when you could have been doing something productive for yourself or your band with that time

 

[BrotherEarl]

Yeah but then you’re using time slamming them which may or may not hurt them when you could have been doing something productive for yourself or your band with that time

I don't buy the notion that it isn't productive for yourself or the band to pursue such a thing. If one person in charge of booking takes notice and re-thinks doing something like what was done then it's a victory for not just you and your band but also every musician out there.

It's five minutes out of your day and serves to maintain some small balance of justice in the world.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I don't buy the notion that it isn't productive for yourself or the band to pursue such a thing. If one person in charge of booking takes notice and re-thinks doing something like what was done then it's a victory for not just you and your band but also every musician out there.

It's five minutes out of your day and serves to maintain some small balance of justice in the world.

How does this

“then you will take a little time out of your day, every day, and find a new and exciting way to slam them and their service or product”

Turn into

“five minutes out of your day ”

Don’t get me wrong I totally get your point but it’s seems like one second you’re talking about something that consumes a lot of your time then the next post you’re like it’s five minutes. Two very different scenarios.

 

[BrotherEarl]

How does this

“then you will take a little time out of your day, every day, and find a new and exciting way to slam them and their service or product”

Turn into

“five minutes out of your day ”

Don’t get me wrong I totally get your point but it’s seems like one second you’re talking about something that consumes a lot of your time then the next post you’re like it’s five minutes. Two very different scenarios.

I consider "five minutes" to be a little time.

On a bad week I spend more time than that grooming nose hairs and brushing my teeth.

 

[Nephilymbass]

I consider "five minutes" to be a little time.

On a bad week I spend more time than that grooming nose hairs and brushing my teeth.

I think I would just cut my losses and learn from the experience. I’ve seen bands get black listed from a lot of venues for doing that kind of stuff with a shady promoter.