Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Even if you have a sound, signed legal contract in place, what are your thoughts on obtaining fees from clients who will not pay their bills?

Have any of you used the Better Business Bureau to collect funds? I`m doing research on this topic and would love to hear your suggestions.

 

Thanks!

Melanie

Hi Melanie.

My clients have paid 99% of the time, my problem is doing business with vendors that don`t give us the deliverables promised. We are then promised to be refunded and it never happens. I currently have 2 vendors who owe us several thousand dollars. I sent letters, final demands etc. I then contacted the better busines bureau for one of them, and the vendor did not respond. I contacted their local clerk of court and set in motion a fraud case. The second, after hounding her for a year....and utilizing alot of time and energy she has paid 4 payments and one bounced. It can be very frustrating. The second was a board on the local chamber of commerce and I asked that she be removed and she was voted out. I would not normally do so but she lied over and over again and cost of alot of money and time and frustration and didn`t seem to give a hoot and even opened a new business, so i know she had the money. Anyway.,the BBB can`t do much but small cliams or general district (which is usually faster) can.

 

Erin :)

Contracts aren`t worth a cracker; as Melanie proves here in this post.

I tell all the members in my Mentor Program to charge your clients up-front.

Rgds,
Ric

 

Thanks for all of your input. It sounds like there really needs to be a better way to collect funds for small business owners (if you don`t collect upfront)!

 

Melanie