You just KNOW that this sign is posted because SOMEONE threw rocks and hurt or killed someone climbing below.
I used to apply the same sign-creation concept in my business.
Here’s what I mean: the earliest “terms and conditions” page on my website was built – BY ME – line by line, every time a client did something that pissed me off.
Have a chuckle with me at each of those upsets that led to my “payment policy”…
Client objected to paying their bill, saying they were unhappy with our service… but had never expressed that dissatisfaction until we were trying to collect payment?
✅ Added a bitchy clause to our T&C page.
“having a question you haven’t asked is not a reason to withhold payment”
AND
Client who agreed to pay for my travel time to an in-person meeting (and I rented a car and later gave him a lift home in it!), objected to paying for my travel time when the bill arrived.
✅ Added a snippy line to my T&C page.
“In-person meetings and consultations are billable, including any applicable travel time, unless otherwise specified.”
AND
Client who changed their mind about the project that they agreed to, paid a deposit for, and we had nearly completed – expected to not only not pay for the work done, but also to get their deposit refunded.
✅ Added a anger-fueled paragraph.
“In the rare circumstance that you discontinue or change the service you’ve hired us for before the work has been completed, you will remain responsible to pay for the hours spent or expenses incurred until we were advised of your intention to change the job that we were hired to complete.”
EVERY LINE on that home-made terms and conditions page* could be attributed to a particular (negative / teachable-moment) client interaction.
Was any of that wording legally binding? Probably NOT.
But it sure made me feel better.
Ultimately, I just didn’t know that there was a better way. And maybe there simply WASN’T a better way to legally protect my itty bitty business at an affordable price… back in ~2008.
But in 2022, there’s NO EXCUSE for not OFFICIALLY (and LEGALLY) covering your ass(ets).
Thursday June 2, 2022, The Contract Shop® is hosting a FREE 4-hour (one day) event called the Lawless to Flawless Summit®.
Topics that will be covered (for free):
Hope to see you there!
~Dara
*Sidebar: Despite the fact that I now have actual, legit, legally binding wording elsewhere on my site, while I was writing this email, I found the full original page(!), hence the quotes.
