Question

My Client-Friend didn't pay me USD7. 000+. How did I managed the situation? What happened? FINAL UPDATE! If you already knows the story, you can go straight to the bottom of this post to read the final update. RECAP: My client-friend didn’t pay me for 7 months and gets mad when I demand my payment. Then a bad negotiation over the phone happens and he tells me that it is over and tells me to stop all services that I am currently providing. After much thought and after reading many advices from this group (thank you very much it makes a difference having your help), I decided to stop being a dumb slave and I suspended all GSuite accounts (which I was paying with my credit card) and also his home internet which I also was paying. Then, after he spends 36 hours without Emails and the client-friend finally calls, desperate. they tried all, they have calles Google, they called the data center, and no one can help them. First He was demanding that I reactivate the accounts, of course that didn't work, I refused. then, when he realized that it was over for him, he started to beg me. He tells me that if this goes for one week (staying without the Gsuite accounts) his company will go broke. Finally he accepted to make a payment plan. Probably without the GSuite accounts he would have continued making me beg for pennies every week. Like a dumb slave. Now he told I was his best friend not a slave and that I went too far and never expected this from me for something so little as this debt. I will keep you posted. FINAL UPDATE: Finally, after that stressful situation, I have received all the 7. 000USD+ payments he owned me, plus 1. 000USD in late payments interests. (and I gave him back all the access for his server and accounts with instructions and recommendations to change his passwords) He still calls me to provide support and services for his websites, but now I am charging per service, instead of a fix monthly fee. By the way, he tried to hire me again to provide constant maintenance per a fix monthly payment but I refused. The friendship is damaged but we talk politely now. This was an important lesson for me. I appreciate all the support I got from the people from this group. Your recommendations and advices made the difference for me. Thank you very much.  

Answer 1

Move on.  

Answer 2

Wow you don’t know how to talk to people at all!  

Comments

I think he did a good job, considering he was getting f**ked

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Hi @loveinidleness thank you for your comment. Please share with us how exactly would you approach this situation.  

Answer 3

I hope we're talking about 7k not 7 dollars

Comments

I'm sure he is referring to seven thousand dollars. In some countries, people use the dot and coma reverse when expressing numbers. It's the same in my country.  

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It's the principle! Lol.  

Answer 4

Interesting read. Thanks

Answer 5

Maybe you should work for a company as a contractor or employee. The fact you were paying for the internet or anything else is baffling. Glad you got paid but you should really reevaluate your business operating procedures.  

Answer 6

Always take advance payments from client / friend

Answer 7

4 comments and 3 are nothing but trolling the post to flex your e-peens. Razor blade therapy is needed. Run down the road guys. Crossing the street is for cowards seeking attention. Way to devalue your existence to absolutely worthless. Some real jack wagon members commenting on this post Steven.  

Comments

@malefaction so tired of these c*nts passing off their judgement of others, as if their opinion has any real value. I don’t even know who these twat waffles are, but they jump on the post and flex their micro d! cks as if they are trying to impress themselves? How pathetic.  

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I've been saving this one for an occasion just such as this. Feel free to use at your leisure.  

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@bangka who ever invented the term “twat waffles” deserves a medal  

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@lamia4 no clue. It’s an old Army phrase we used often. ‍♂️

Answer 8

Glad it worked out!  

Answer 9

You were paying for his internet?  

Answer 10

Sounds to me like he was emotionally blackmailing you and you called him out. Good on you!  #notafriend imo

Answer 11

You mean $7 or $7K+ ?  

Answer 12

Awesome news! Great work

Answer 13

Run GSA on his site  

Comments

@gast98255 wouldn't GSA help his site even more?  

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@coloring So he can try performing as much NEGATIVE SEO he can  

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@gast98255 ah yes make all spam links  

Answer 14

Happy to help

Answer 15

Are you taking new contracts as a “dumb slave” I’m seriously interested

Comments

@kutzer are you seriously this idiotic? Do you think that gaining personal humor at the expense of others, causes you to be seen as anything other than a worthless c*nt in the eyes of everyone else? So pathetic. Put as much effort in making a splash in our industry, and people like me might know who you are some day. Such a douchebag.  

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@bangka personal humor  passive aggression. One of those is worse tho I do see your personal point of view, this guy is humorous and that’s his choice - I’m not wanting to make a splash. If I offended you I’m sorry but this was directed towards OP.  

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@kutzer I’m not offended. I’m a dick. Make no mistake about it.  

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@bangka they are one and the same. Again I’m sorry if I offended you. It wasn’t even directed at you, and as you well said it was personal humor.  

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@kutzer you directed your comment at the entire group. Apologize to the group for it. I’m all stocked up on bullshit.  

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@bangka I’m sorry for my personal humor. I really am. If OP was offended I’ll tailor my personal humor but I doubt it because he is a humorous guy. To you all I can say is my personal humor is my personal humor that I wouldn’t use with you because well I agree with you

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Hi @kutzer Thank you for the comment. I didn't say that. I think getting new contracts are awesome, when the client is someone who respect us as a professional and pay the bill on time. When I said about being a "slave" I was referring to myself, and actually one member of the group was the one who opened my eyes about this (and I thank this person for his comment, I don't remember the name of the person, but thank you)

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@bangka you're a nice guy! What I meant more honestly is if you offered consulting services or audit services. I'd be really interested

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Now I understood your message.  You are asking me if I am still accepting those kind of new contracts, to work as a slave, it that it?  From now on I will not commit myself to those kind of deals any longer. But I do offer web consulting services.  

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@mousebird yes it was a joke. But I am interested in consulting services. I have sent you a message

Answer 16

I am even more so shocked that you continued to work with this person despite not paying you for more than a month! Business is business, and you have to put personal relationships aside. Don't get tangled up between the two. Anyway, I am happy for you that it worked out. Take your time to recover, if needed, to find strength from lost grounds.  

Answer 17

Working with family or friends can be very difficult. And they‘re more likely to take advantage if you’re not firm enough with them. A lesson learned.  

Answer 18

I never take friends or family as clients. Learnt my lesson the hard way

Comments

@bewail golden words.  

Answer 19

Sounds like you dodged a bullet. I’d get to a point to where he doesn’t owe you much and hand the keys over to him with a goodbye letter attached. You’re insulting yourself by continuing to support his unethical business practices. Glad to hear you got paid out tho.  

Answer 20

I feel sorry that you had such a stressful situation at work.  

Answer 21

Who needs enemies when you have friends like that  

Answer 22

Thanks for sharing your story. Stories like yours is why i never do business with friends and family again. And not make friends with business partners.  

Comments

@narcotize Feder yeah

Answer 23

Now accept all payment upfront before service is even started with him

Answer 24

Honestly that's just dirty business tactics on both sides, super bad holding email/hosting/ISP services to ransom. IMO best practise is that you you should never have been in a position to do this and client should be paying for BAU critical services directly themselves for this reason. At the same time, he sounds like a dick and glad it worked out.  

Answer 25

If you're not requiring upfront payment I would consider it more of an insurance policy than a ransom. In your case, it was the only reason you got your money and I'm glad you did. You need something besides "trust" whether it's a contract, "insurance policy, " etc. I've been screwed like this too and you need to protect yourself. Well done :)

Comments

@frau5946 thank you for sharing.  

Answer 26

We all go though this in some way or another sorry that your experience was in this way. But great lesson and a reminder for everyone. Because we are all in a new age and this sometimes calls for old bad habits of accepting any job for any price. Thanks for the reminder. Keep wining. Cheers buddy @anadromous

Comments

@anadromous thank you for your words.  

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@mousebird cheers buddy

Answer 27

Wow very good of you to take action! May I know what kinds of services you provide to your friend?  

Comments

I have developed and maintained his whole online business (ecommerce to sell furniture) from scratch.  

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@mousebird well good for you, let's hope you dont face this same situation again in the future

Answer 28

" I suspended. his home internet which I also was paying. " That made my day.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1U...Gn5hc

Answer 29

When your friends screw up the money it's time to re-evaluate if they should be your friends or not.  

Answer 30

All work to be paid upfront every month. No exceptions. Friend or not. Problem solved.  

Answer 31

Nailed it. I think you should take the offer. Especially when it’s friendship over. You can auto charge them for the service You know. :) Either ways, happy to hear a fellow SEO won today. :)

Answer 32

The Last business to take is family or friends , i would prefer the quite the whole business and not to take family or friends

Answer 33

I lost one of my best friends for the same situation! and learned a lot !  

Answer 34

He has the money to pay, why did he chose not to pay you for 7 mos? I wont do it to anyone, and I wont do it to my friend. next time, get clients to pay upfront fees to avoid this kind of situation :)