At what stage of the web design process do most people take a deposit from the customer? Eg before commencing any work, after the first meeting, after the design and before the coding, or not at all? We have recently introduced a deposit after design and before coding policy after a bad experience with a customer who agreed the designs, gave us the words and then looked at the completed website and said "now I can see how the website works I'll go away and think what I really want"!!! Since implementing this policy, we have had 2 customers who like the designs but have not - yet - paid up and given us the go ahead. This has cost me 1 day plus per customer with no returns as yet. I'd be interested in knowing how others approach what must be a common problem.
Dont work without advance I prefer to loose customers and wait for the payer ones That who refuses paying advance will be a head ache for you
I've never asked for a deposit/advance. I'm generally a pretty good judge of people, and have refused to work with a few clients because I could see problems on the horizon. If I feel like I need to ask someone for a deposit, it's usually a good indicator that I don't want them as clients. The only time I've taken an advance is when working for government organizations and universities on major projects that can take months to finish. They generally offer a percentage upfront, or month by month 'installments', which is probably more to justify their existence (or to get more funding), than it is to protect me EDIT: I'm talking about real world clients here. Not some 14 year old in an internet cafe who wants a logo for $20.
If the customer is within my vicinity I sometimes don't even get a deposit but if the customer is far away I will ask for an advance payment after we agree on a price and specifications
I ask for a deposit after the initial discussions have been made and the specifications are laid out. Then, during the process they are able to make payment to me at any time in installments then before I complete the work I require the final payment. This is only due to me being scammed in the past.
Does this mean after you have created some designs for their website? Do you find that this is early enough to protect you?
Well once we have discussed a Price/Fee's we usually take a deposit straight away. But we often let them pay in installments throughout project or a lump sum at the start/end.
After the client agrees with the proposal, we take a deposit. At this point no work has been done except for time put into research. After we receive payment is when work begins. Once the work has been completed, the remainder of the balance is to be paid before the website goes live.
No, never. What I mean is after the discussions have taken place about what they have and what they want. This consultation is free for anyone I work with but before I write a single line of code I want to be paid a deposit first. My time is not cheap and I most certainly will not work with a client who wants various 'mockups' before commiting to me. Especially when i'm not guaranteed a payment for the time put into making the designs. That is very bad practice.
I would love to be in this position but we're not getting many enquiries as is and I'm frightened of losing customers - did you take this stance when you first started out or is it just something you can say now you've got a big portfolio of work for prospective customers to look at?
At first I didn't have the confidence in my ability to take this approach. This led to clients thinking they can 'boss me around' resulting in me not being happy in what I was doing. I soon learned that if you allow a client to boss you around (read: asking for multiple mockups, working without payment first, etc etc) they soon become under the impression that they don't have to pay you for your time. However, having confidence in yourself and your work, not short-selling your work (and yourself), having knowledge of the subject at hand and generally speaking from a professional disposition will soon instill a certain amount of respect from your clients and, as in my case, attract the sort of people who understand that your time is worth money.
Advance >> Start the work >> Update the client >> ask him to release x amount >> finish the work >> take complete amount >> Hand over the complete files the client