Non-Paying customer

[AtYourService]

had a business client that insisted on installing norton360 on all his office computer and 2k3 server , he needed it done next day and didnt want to wait for norton to send cds nor buy the license and download it, instead asked if i could buy from a retail store. I agredd even after i told him that norton products were garbage. I qouted him for 2 hours plus the cost of 2 norton cds i bought. even installed and i presented with a bill to which they said they bill net 30 days. I said fine even though I liked to get paid when finish, they were an investment company in a nice building so i didnt give it a second thought, flash forward 30 days, they call and say that the av on the server is no longer working, i agree t come check it out and uninstall the av and reinstall it, everythings fine and i leave. he calls me the next day and says he cant log into his laptop on the network and explorer.exe is hanging. i figured it might be just his computer because none of the other computer have the same problem , i try testing his computer for rootkits etc and all in all i spend 5 hours over the next 2 days trying to figure out the cause. in which he say to me he doesnt mind paying me as long as i didnt cause the issue. i ignored this and kept working, the final thing i did was remap his user folder to a new location and even created a new backup user just in case. I called him to tel him to try both these fixes and call me if the same problem arises. i didnt hear from him for the rest of the day and so i sent a reminder that it was now past the net 30 days and i needed payment, all day today the secretary gave excuses that hes on the other line, at lunch , tries putting me to voicemail. Originally i was only gonna charge him 1 hour of that 5 and now that i am getting a run around i wanna bill him for the 5 extra hours and hand deliver it to his office tomorrow morning.

what other options do i have after this to get paid?

[NickCat11]

It sounds like to me you're going to have trouble getting any kind of payment from this guy. I wouldn't charge for all 5 hours but if you do I would definitely throw in a discount. Hand delivering the bill is also in your best interest since it seems like this guy is avoiding you at all costs. Good Luck.

[AtYourService]

it wouldnt be so bad if it was just time , but this clown made me use my own money to get the cds , 160$

[NickCat11]

You know what, I wasn't even taking into consideration the cost of the cd's. That just adds fuel to the fire. If he refuses to pay I'd say take him to small claims. Usually just the threat of it is enough to make someone pay up unless they're real scum.

[studiot]

You have another option since you paid for the CDs. Technically they are still yours. You do have a clause in your contract that states
"All goods supplied remain your property until completely paid for" don't you?

You have a good case to suggest that he obtained Norton by deception, with no intent to pay.

That's criminal fraud. No business wants to be investigated by the authorities for this.

[atlanticjim]

Originally Posted by AtYourService

I said fine even though I liked to get paid when finish, they were an investment company in a nice building so i didnt give it a second thought,

Oh appearances, lol. I find that my best payers are the people with the shoddiest homes and the businesses in the lousy parts of town. They know the value of a buck to both them and to you. And they pay in cash and always throw in a tip.
Sometimes what you see is only the appearance of wealth that is window dressing over a business/home with nothing but debt. I suppose your standard agreement is "pay on receipt" and not "net 30" but you let yourself get talked into it.
I have always wondered . . . if someone is such a good investment advisor, why is he fifty years old and still working nine-to-five? I see that you are in Middletown, tell me how many "investment firms" in your area have gone belly up and disappeared in the last two years?

Originally Posted by NickCat11

If he refuses to pay I'd say take him to small claims. Usually just the threat of it is enough to make someone pay up unless they're real scum.

I think that Nick is right, just file the small claim and expect to get nothing.

If it is past 30 days and he has not paid for the original service, you can just refuse to to any more work until the bill is paid. It also sounds like he is trying to say that anything that happens now is a result of what you did before. That is such a common tactic where I am that I am very careful to address it immediately and shut it down. I tell them that this is a new and unrelated problem, I will be happy to fix it at my regular rate. I can always recant and tell them that I found a bug in the installation or whatever and then give them an appropriate discount on the service.

[PCSupportGlasgow]

Dont know if the same in the USA but here in the uk you can add daily interest to the bill once its late over a certain period.

First things first take a note of when you called and who you spoke to regarding the debt you will need complete records later if they dont pay.

personally i would have the bill hand delivered, with a reminder letter in my pocket that i could give to the secetary if given the run around. Also send the exact same letter registered post to them next day for your records. On the letter give a reasonable amount of time to send the cheque also informing them you will be charging daily interest on the debt as you are entitled to and stating next course of action will either be small claims court and you will also file a case in bankruptcy court to have their company put into liquidation. This will work as they will know you know your rights and are serious about getting your money back but dont expect to ever receive any work from them ever again.

[barry3652]

Or if you don't get any where you could tell them you will be writing an article to the local press explaining how none paying customers are putting you out of business?. That will do they business no good what's so ever am sure the thought of his customers reading that will help him pay up. Who's going to use an investment company that can't be trusted?

[Mr I]

Originally Posted by barry3652

Or if you don't get any where you could tell them you will be writing an article to the local press explaining how none paying customers are putting you out of business?. That will do they business no good what's so ever am sure the thought of his customers reading that will help him pay up. Who's going to use an investment company that can't be trusted?

that's a great idea because at the same time that's marketing for your company and readers will get to know your company locally.

[JosephLeo]

I would just get your money out of the hole with this guy and never look back. It sounds like he wants a full time tech support for pennies. If the show were on the other foot you'd be getting legal notices left and right from this guy- threaten him with legal action and get it done with. This guy can't possibly be good news.